Records.

It was not my intention to carry the matter of the University's records further until I learnt that the Executive had again appointed Mr. Birks to the posotion. This seems to be a very surprising step, for his letter in reply to mine seemed to indicate a small amount of activity, and, furthermore, I understand that he admitted to the Executive that he had not been able to do very much in his capacity as Records Officer. Will he have any more time now that he is a member of the Executive?

In his letter to "Smad," Mr. Birks said that the Records Officer was not "historian of the College," but in an earlier paragraph he quotes as one of the duties of the office the compilation of a list of past and present students, together with their records, I maintain, Sir, that the Records Officer should, in a sense, be a historian; that he should collect photographs and press cuttings and keep a record of current events, and thus compile something of more interest than a mere biography of students and their careers. If this were done now and continued from year to year, there is no doubt that the records would become valuable in the future.

In conclusion I suggest that the office is one which could be better filled by a person who is not a member of the Executive.

Pepys.