Harvard History

Widener Library (Rumors)

No stone, no brick, no piece of mortar shall be moved - if any part is moved or dismantled, the library will become property of the city of Cambridge (this one is actually true) A reading room, resembling Harry's study room at home, was to be built in the center of the library and fresh flowers need to be put in it daily Swim Test legend—Rumor has it that Mrs. Widener said that one of the stipulations of her donation was that every student at Harvard would have to pass a swim test in order to graduate, because if Harry had known how to swim he may not have drowned. Though Harvard at one point did have a swim test, it is not clear that it is a result of Mrs. Widener's stipulations but rather as a coincidence. (No longer the case due to ADA 1990)

Massachusetts Hall (Revolutionary War)

Originally used as a dormitory, during the Revolutionary War Massachusetts Hall housed approximately 640 soldiers of the Continental Army. While staying in Mass Hall, soldiers stole all the brass doorknobs and melted them down to make ammunition. Following the war Harvard filed the first successful lawsuit against the newly independent United States for repayment. The US repaid its debt.

Radcliffe History

Radcliffe College was founded in 1879. Classes were separated by gender, but had the same professors as Harvard College. Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe in 1904 - in 1955 she became the 1st woman to receive an honorary Harvard degree.

Financial Aid

90% of American families would pay the same or less to send their children to Harvard as they would a state school. 55% of undergrads receive need-based scholarships Over 20% of families qualify for the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, in which parents with total incomes less than $65,000 are not expected to contribute Foreign students have the same access to financial aid funding as US citizens

Massachusetts Hall (date + history)

Built in 1720, it is the oldest building still standing at Harvard and the second-oldest academic building in the country

Harvard Hall (Today)

Built in 1766, this is the third building in the Yard to be called Harvard Hall. Today, Harvard Hall contains classrooms and several large lecture halls.

Memorial Hall

Built in 1878 to commemorate Harvard students and alumni who died in the Civil War while fighting for the Union. The names of those who died fighting for the Confederacy were not placed here Has never been used as a church Second largest collection of secular Tiffany stained glass Many of the stained-glass, secular, windows featured in the building were donated by Harvard classes.

Johnston Gate

Built in 1890, oldest of 25 gates that surround Harvard Yard. The area in which Johnston Gate now stands has been the main entrance to Harvard since the 17th century. Legend has it that a student can only cross it twice - as freshman and once they graduate

Memorial Church

Built in 1932 and dedicated to soldiers who fought and died in WWI Later the memorial was expanded to honor WWII, Korean and Vietnam Wars soldiers Non-denominational (any religious organization can hold services there) Protestant services on Sunday

Science Center

Built in 1972 and is used primarily as an academic building Houses the departments of Mathematics, Statistics, and History of Science Also contains numerous teaching laboratories, lecture halls, classrooms, a cafe and the Cabot Science Library.

Sanders Theatre

Built in style of England's Globe Theater Used as classroom for large lectures; can hold 1200 people Built to hold commencement ceremonies but exceeded capacity in 1911 (now in Tercentenary Theatre) Famous speakers: Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt, MLK, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga

Widener Library (eponym + story)

Built with a gift from Eleanor Wilkins Widener in honor of her son, Harry Elkins Widener A.B. 1907. In 1912 Harry Wilkins Widener traveled overseas to collect rare books. Decided to return to the US on the Titanic Legend has it that he was on a lifeboat (still attached to the ship) but decided to go back to rescue Bacon's essays, and was never seen after that

John Harvard Statue

Cast in 1884 by Daniel Chester French who also cast the Lincoln Memorial Was originally placed near Memorial Hall, moved in 1924 3rd most photographed statue in the US, after Statue of Liberty and the Lincoln Memorial

Annenberg Hall

Converted to a dining hall in 1994 with a donation from Roger Annenberg One yard, one dining hall, one community

Tercentenary Theate

Dedicated in 1936 Holds graduation ceremonies; 32,000 people every year Famous speakers: Bill Clinton, J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey Students from all graduate schools and the college graduate at the same time Diplomas are not handed out during this ceremony - for college students, diplomas are received following the yard ceremony at events in their respective dorms

Radcliffe History (Great Experiment)

During WWII, class sizes shrunk on the men's campus since men were fighting abroad in 1943 men and women's classes were integrated. From 1970-1980 dorms went co-ed, starting with "the great experiment" - a small number of women transferred to the river houses, and a small number of men transferred to the (Radcliffe) quad (including Bill Gates). This process ended with Strauss house, whose benefactors resisted the effort to integrate. In 1999 Radcliffe College was officially dissolved, becoming the Radcliffe Institute for the Advanced Studies of Women - up until this point women's Harvard diplomas also included the name "Radcliffe College."

Indian College

Established in 1656 to teach the natives English and Protestantism; stood in front of where Matthews Hall stands now. First printed Bible in North America created by John Eliot. From 1661-1663 John Eliot translated and printed copies of the Bible into Wampanoag using the press in Indian College. The Indian College educated 5 natives in the 15 years that it existed - one ran off to become a mariner, two died of disease, one was murdered shortly before commencement, and only one actually graduated In 2011 Harvard posthumously awarded a degree to Joel Lacoomes, the student who died in 1655 shortly before commencement.

Harvard Hall (First building)

First Harvard Hall was built on the site of Grays and completed in 1644, but rotted on its foundation.

Statue of Three Lies

Founder: John Harvard is not the founder, but a benefactor. Harvard College was founded by the Massachusetts Bay Colony 1638: Harvard was founded in 1636, and John Harvard made his donation in 1638. VERITAS Crest (means truth in Latin): The third book is facing down, which is unusual. Technology at the time couldn't inscribe the "A" in "TAS" over an open book. Instead, they put the letters on the cover and spine of the book, rather than the paper. Matched the Puritan idea that not everything at Harvard is learned from a book. Need to put the book down once in a while, and learn from the world around you. It's not John Harvard: There exist no portraits of him as they burned down with Harvard Hall - the statue was cast in image of Sherman Hoar, a distant relative of the third president of Harvard, Leonard Hoar. (Hoar House!!)

General Harvard History (founded)

Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States Founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony under the name Newtowne College

Harvard Yard

Hub of the University - classrooms, administrative offices and dorms for freshmen. Rumor has it that in the original contracts for professors, they were allotted grazing rights for their animals, as the Yard was used for grazing in the 17th century While there exists no evidence of this, the legend still persists, and in 2009, Harvard Divinity School Professor Harvey Cox brought a cow to the Yard to graze for his retirement party. Current gates surrounding the yard were donated by Harvard graduating classes in the 2nd half of the 19th century

General Harvard History (John Harvard)

In 1638 it was renamed after the College's first benefactor, the young minister John Harvard, who upon his death, left his library and half his estate to the institution. The school changed its name to Harvard University

Massachusetts Hall (History 1920s-now)

In the 1920s it was converted back into a dormitory In 1939 Harvard president's office moved from University Hall into the bottom 2 floors of Mass Hall. Top two floors are now used as freshman dorm - legend about "handpicking" quietest and most studious students in the freshman class to live in this dorm.

Widener Library (facts)

It is the largest university library in the world and largest library with open stacks in the world (users can get their own books, not retrieved by staff.) Widener is the third largest library system in the US (1. Library of Congress, 2. New York Public Library System) Widener has 3.2 million volumes, 5 miles of stacks, 50 miles of shelves. So extensive that there are 10 floors, 4 that are underground

Academic Experience + Extra-curriculars

Required 32 classes for 4 years A bit about everything: Core/General Education Program Concentration (major) - about 1/3 of classes taken Electives: Random classes; some of the best academic experiences Liberal arts education, no pre-professional programs, class sizes vary, sections, lectures, all professors have office hours, etc. Two-thirds of students work in the academic year Harvard students hail from over 80 countries, all 50 United States There are over 400 different clubs and activities. Students can even get funding and create their own club. Harvard has the largest collegiate athletic program with 42 Division-I sports teams.

Harvard Hall (Second building)

Second Harvard Hall (1677-1764) was constructed in the current location, and considered to be the colonies' most important academic building - contained state-of-the-art labs (Ben Franklin studied there), classrooms, the dining hall and the library. In 1764 the second Harvard Hall was destroyed by a fire. Lost in the blaze was John Harvard's entire book collection, except one book which was incidentally saved by a student who had taken the book (illegally) from the library that day to finish his work overnight. His name was Ephraim Briggs. He returned the book to President Holyoke and was thanked, then expelled. The book Ephraim stole is "Christian Warfare Against the Devil World and Flesh". It is the sole remaining piece of John Harvard's collection and is now housed in Houghton Library.

General Harvard History (Harvard College #)

There are approximately 6,600 undergraduates, 13,000 professional and graduate students, and 16,000 Harvard Extension School students, for an approximate total of 36,000 students throughout the whole university.

Tuition/Room/Board/Housing

Tuition: $46,340 (2018-2019) Tuition + Fees + Room + Board + Personal Expenses = $71,650 (2018-2019) 97% of students live on campus

Wadsworth House

Wadsworth House, the second-oldest standing building at Harvard, was built in 1726 for Benjamin Wadsworth, the eighth president of Harvard. In July of 1775 General George Washington arrived in Cambridge to assume his command of the Continental Army and briefly used Wadsworth House as his headquarters. Affixed to Wadsworth House is a plaque memorializing Juba, Bilhah, Titus and Venus - four slaves who worked in the estate and were owned by Harvard presidents Wadsworth and Edward Holyoke in the 1700s. The plaque was dedicated in 2016 by former President Gilpin Faust alongside U.S. Representative John Lewis.