At issue was a massive food fight which had occurred two weeks earlier in Valentine Dining Hall. "The Great Food Fight of '64," which took place on the first Monday of exam week, was "obviously planned well in advance" and was allegedly precipitated by an "atmosphere of high tension due to exam pressure."
In addition to incurring damages around $200, the fracas prompted the initiation of a fact-finding commission of the College's Council and House Management Committee Presidents (picture: Council President Harry Knight and Valentine Dining Hall Director Gordon Bridges).
Following the investigation, however, the Council deemed that it was not the appropriate body to present a moral opinion on the issue and decided instead to extend a formal apology to Bridges.
"It is our hope," read a letter printed alongside the article in question, "that the momentary lapse in behavior of January 20th will not impair the continuous efforts which have made Valentine Hall one of the finer dining institutions in the country."
Alarmed by a general lack of social responsibility in preventing not simply this incident but others as well, the deans threatened to rescind social privileges for the ensuing semester break. Significantly, Dean Swartzbaugh stressed that such punishment was "taken not as a direct penalty for the food fight, but in consequence of the unanimous failure of any organization to take responsibility for it."
However, a fraternity collective led by Phi Delta President Gil Schmerler '64 met with the deans immediately thereafter. The suggestion of an ad hoc committee designed to assess the relevant penalties and protocols of student responsibility was accepted, and social hours for the break were restored.
The paper reported that the Committee led by Gay exhibited an "encouraging sign of a basic readiness on the part of the Amherst student to adopt his own moral standards."