at the Laboratory, not only by offering laboratory tables free of 

 charge, but also in providing living accommodations for guest 

 investigators that were not needed by the government employees. 

 Because of the increasing scarcity of housing facilities in the 

 village, the privilege of having a room in the residence was high- 

 ly attractive and the number of summer applicants always ex- 

 ceeded the space available in the laboratory and in the residence. 

 It was a difficult duty for the Director to assign the residence 

 rooms. Some of them being large and facing the sea were ea- 

 gerly sought for, while others- -small and facing the street were 

 much less desirable. Somehow the Director was able to distri- 

 bute the guest investigators in accordance with their scientific 

 status and age. Dissatisfaction and hard feeling were avoided, 

 since the task was performed skillfully and with great tact. As 

 I remember, there was a remarkable spirit of cooperation and 

 friendship among the biologists gathered for a summer session. 

 A great deal of that attitude originated from the summer Director 

 of the Laboratory who, with his family, usually occupied an 

 apartment on the second floor of the residence and used the three 

 large living rooms on the first floor for social gatherings, sci- 

 entific meetings, and card or chess games enjoyed by the staff 

 and their guests. Meals were taken at the MBL dining hall 

 across the street, where the Fisheries investigators enjoyed the 

 same privileges as those the MBL offered to its research sci- 

 entists and students. Relationships between the two institutions 

 were friendly, and the spirit of cooperation prevailed in the en- 

 tire scientific community. 



The MBL meals were inexpensive, $7. 00 a week in the 

 1920's, and adequate. They were served three times a day, 

 according to a timetable which was strictly observed. It was a 

 serious matter to be late for breakfast, since the village had no 

 restaurants or lunch counters. The doors were promptly closed, 

 and late comers were not admitted. The arrangement was neces- 

 sary because many of the waiters and waitresses were students 

 of the MBL courses and could not be late for their classes. 

 Meals were served in a family style, each person occupying his 

 assigned place at a table set for 12. Seating arrangements were 

 the responsibility of Miss Isobelle Downing, affectionately known 

 to everybody as Miss Belle, who for several decades supervised 

 the messhall, directed the serving, and maintained strict disci- 

 pline. The allocation to different tables required tact and a re- 

 markable memory which helped Miss Belle to arrange her cus- 

 tomers in congenial groups. The MBL messhall was an impor- 

 tant social factor in the life of Woods Hole, since there was no 

 other place where the people could meet and chat. By 7:00 p.m., 

 when the doors were closed and only a few persons remained 

 inside finishing their dinner, several groups were formed on the 

 porch to spend about an hour in conversation and relaxation. 



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