I want to encourage all involved in the controversy over the covering

of Ms. Harris’ and Ms. Mass’ names at Catt Hall to do the best thing possible in this situation: use your heads to come up with a solution.

The argument can be looked at from both sides very easily.

On the one side you have the members of the September 29th Movement who believe that it is entirely justified for Blue Maas and Phyllis Harris to somehow remove the names that they or their families are responsible for placing in the Plaza of Heroines at Catt Hall.

This support by the Movement seems to me to be well placed if the discovery of Catt’s remarks makes the women feel that the bricks are less than honorable.

If I decide to buy billboard space on the highway and later decide that I do not want to advertise, I am perfectly entitled to have my advertisement (peoples’ names in this case) removed.

However, there may be some justifiable stipulations for removal.

From the other side of the discussion, I believe the viewpoint of those

in opposition is understandable.

The Plaza of Heroines at Catt Hall needs to be filled with bricks to be usable. Furthermore, the aesthetic style of the Plaza would be compromised with many bricks imprinted with names and two bricks that are conspicuously covered.

Covering the bricks will not simply remove the unwanted names in the Plaza, it will cause future passers-by to think “That September 29th Movement really ruined this place.”

Many believe, including me, that those who purchased the bricks in the first place had access to all the information they needed about Carrie Chapman Catt.

Their decision on whether Catt was a racist or a xenophobe should have been made before they purchased the bricks.

It may be difficult and time consuming to research all of this, but isn’t it worth it if you are trying to honor someone dear to your heart by having their name put into stone.

Here come the stipulations and fundamental points of the dispute. It will cost the university money to remove the bricks and replace them so as not to deplete the aesthetic qualities of the Plaza of Heroines.

There is no reason to force someone who does not want to advertise their or their relatives’ names at the Plaza. So we come down to the driving factor in the dispute — money.

I think the proper course of action for Phyllis Harris, Blue Maas, or the September 29th Movement is to pay for the expense of removing the disputed bricks and restoring the empty space with an appropriate substitute.

The University should accept this course of action and perform the change immediately without any hesitation.

This plan will show that both sides are willing to do what is right and sensible. No need for the already terrible race relations on this campus to get worse over a simple problem that has a simple solution.

Do what reason tells you and build some trust in the process.

Before anything, however, think before you do.

Cris Schwartz

Graduate Student

Mechanical Engineering