To the editor:

I was disappointed to read Friday’s editorial, “Without Inferno, party-scene is a bit scarier,” which criticizes Pierson’s efforts to make the most of a difficult situation. Contrary to the News’ View, the Inferno was cancelled this year primarily because we are living in Swing Space. Swing Space does not have a dining hall or any indoor space large enough for a party of Inferno’s magnitude. It is also worth noting that Fusco, not Pierson, manages the “New Residence Hall” property.

In an act of pure generosity, the fellows of our college and Master Harvey Goldblatt rented a tent, dance floor, heaters and lights for the Swing Space courtyard so that Pierson could preserve a valued Halloween tradition. We encouraged Piersonites to invite guests and admitted as many people as the courtyard and security could accommodate. The Pierson College Fellows and Master G deserve our many thanks for this completely free Halloween party.

Over the last two months, the Pierson College Council and Student Activities Committee explored many possibilities for replacing Inferno. We worked with YSAC to sponsor a Yale-wide Halloween party in Commons, but Bill Clinton’s visit precluded the use of Commons on Friday night. When offered a Pierson party in our courtyard, free of charge, we jumped at the opportunity. The hundreds of students (Piersonites and non-Piersonites alike) at Friday’s event can certainly invalidate the YDN’s prediction that Pierson’s “Draconian ‘replacement for Inferno'” would be “no fun.”

In the future, I hope to continue working with YSAC and other colleges to address the recent disappearance of popular residential college parties. Just last week the residential college council presidents met to discuss, among other things, this very issue. We are improving lines of communication in order to coordinate future events. With some dedication and creativity, I am confident that we can make the Yale party scene stronger than it has ever been.

Daniel Bernstein ’05

The writer is Pierson College Council President.

November 1, 2003