VOX IN THE BOX

Dear Vox in the Box: After- reading Noel Perrin's article ["Curmudgeon," November 1999] about mini-fridges, wondered just what appliances students can have in dorm rooms. Policy was very restrictive when I dwelled there, ostensibly in the name of fire safety but perhaps to promote asceticism. I don't recall mini-fridges in my dorms—we used the windowsills. Is there any interesting history here?

Well, Kris, the College's policyon dorm room appliances hasa long and varied history. In1947, the only legal applianceswere electric razors, radiosand clocks. Electric blanketswere given the nod in 1954.When you graduated, foodwas outlawed "for reasons ofsanitation," according to therulebook. Illegal applianceslanded students a $25 fine(and you were not supposedto store anything on windowsills). However, with a permitfrom a dean you could keep afirearm in your room. Today,forget about guns, microwaves and hot plates. Candlesand incense are taboo andcarry a $100 fine, but smokingis allowed inside your roomexcept in Butterfield Hall, anon-smoking dorm. Legalappliances, as outlined by thestudent handbook, includeonly refrigerators smallerthan three cubic feet, televisions, flat irons, hair dryersand coffeepots. VOX