Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Next year’s Halloween party might not be at Mary Lyons. Over the course of the past week, the dorm’s four Resident Assistants have hosted residents in a series of discussion sessions to compile suggestions for both next year’s RAs and for the Deans’ Committee, which is considering the future of the event. Only once before in the 15-year history of the party has it not been held at Mary Lyons.
There is ambivalence about the event in Mary Lyons. Some students love the event, like ML resident David Kornflit ’09, who commented that it is “very rare that we have people here … I like being the host, not the guest. And it was the best party I’ve been to at Swat.” Ambivalence is a more commonly expressed sentiment, however. Miranda Weinberg ’09 noted that while “people seemed to have a great time, … Having a big party in the middle of a residential area isn’t the brightest idea.”
Some residents are confused as to why the Deans’ Committee, headed by Myrt Wesphal and Jenny Yim, chose this year to begin a discussion about changing the venue, especially when most long-time residents thought this year’s party was very successful in comparison to past years. Alan McAvinney ’06 noted that this year’s event was “much better than last year,” particularly in relation to the police presence. Finlay Logan ’08 postulated that the deans have “finally noticed the volume of complaints from the ML residents and, having given the matter intelligent thought, concluded that ML is in fact a terrible venue for a large party.”
Seven years ago, in 1998, the dorm first choose to call off the event. Then the RAs argued hosting the party at Mary Lyons would “create the large danger of numerous students being picked up by police” due to the combination of the long, public, walk to campus, and a large police presence. When Mary Lyons chose to host the event again in 1999, steps were taken to ease the risk to students. Such steps culminated with the decision to hire a bus this past Halloween to transport students to and from the party.
At this time, the RAs of Mary Lyons have gathered together the suggestions and comments of current residents, and will be sending the information to the Deans. Suggestions were varied, ranging between more heavily enforced bans on smoking and making the event dry.
Ultimately, however, explained first-floor RA Ben Oldfield ’07, the future of the ML Halloween Party “will be decided by next year’s RAs.”
