Latin Salutatory: “Campus of Dreams”

by Caitlin Cecilia Gilespie '05

Praeses Aestive, Decani, Professores, vos qui geritis et exercitis nostros manipulos Harvardianos; amici et familiae, qui nos honati sunt sicut fautores avidissimi in Campo Paludum; matres et parres, vos ante omnes, qui nobis cre- diderunt, qui pro nobis precati sunt, qui nummos innumeros solverunt ut hie nos possemus esse; et denique mei condiscipuli, manipulus anni MMV; salvete omnes! Post IV annos adhuc superstites sumus - cursum peregimus - et dum ad metam tendimus, victoria certa est.

Vere enim, studere hie aeque est arduum quam ludis Olympicis contendere sub tot spectantium oculis. Abhinc IV annos, alligavimus nobis calceos et in campum ingressi sumus, et cum "Thwacko!" digno Magni Mannii, quam cel- errime profecti sumus.

Cum primum Bostoniam, domum Soccorum Rubrorum adveni, Maledictum cognoveram, et scivi non facile fururum esse id frangere. Pro Infante autem vel pro Capra, habemus nostrum calcem Achilleum, quia alii nos semper optimos esse opinantur. Dum in ludum litterarium ibamus, ver- tice sidera ferire videbamur, sed simul ut hie studere coepimus, impares omnibus visi sumus et talis iactis verebamur nos semper canem esse missuros. (De canibus expertae credite - fui fautor Catulorum tota mea vita!) Mox, cer- tamine fortiter a Soccis facto, novo Praesidi supervenimus et facti sumus 'Pueri et Puellae Aestivorum.'

Primo anno statim sentimus hanc universitatem suum ipsius esse ludum, in quo annus quisque habet suos propugnatores, suum Giannium Damon, suum Curtium Nummi. Cum Romani petivissent 'Panem et Circenses!' nos 'Veritatem' maluimus. Nam confusi rogabamus 'Quis est Primus?' 'Quid est Secundum?' 'Nescio de Tertio...' 'Nonne perveniam ad Domum?'

'Quern' primo anno inquirimus, dum invenimus nostras Harvardianas per- sonas. 'Quid' anno secundo constituimus, dum velocius movemur, et ultra progredimur, eligimus animi intenriones, et habitamus in superiorum domis. Nobis videmur meliores - sumus nempe sapientes stuiti - et nos paramus ad alteram cursus partem. Futuri adhuc nescientes, iuniores utimur nostris ingeniis, et perseveramus ut finem petamus. Ferimus opem quibusdam, aliis animos addimus, aliorumque GPA ignorare temptamus. Postremo, seniores diem carpimus et quid sit futurum eras quaerere fugimus, ut clamor incipit et finimus nostrum cursum ad Domum! Sed postquam ibi pervenimus, sentimus nos ad novum quendam locum pervenisse. Incredibile visu, manipulus facti sumus, et novam domum habemus - hanc universitatem.

Inter hos IV annos, locus hie erat noster 'Campus Somniorum,' sive biolo- giae studuimus, seu philosophiae, seu linguis morruis, et hie semper acceptis- simi erimus. Cum gradum suscipiamus in hoc anno Bostoniensi mirabili, nos quoque, sicut Socci Rubri, terrarum domini ad caelum uehimur. Expectamus spem insequentis anni, et ut abimus ad alias urbes, alios manipulos, alios cam- pos, scimus semper nos memoria posse hue reverti, somnium renovare, redire domum. Vicimus — pergamus vincere! Nunc est celebrandum! Nunc sunt deducendae Aves Naves! Cantemus 'Deduc me ad ludum pilae Harvardianum,' nam haec est palma cuius numquam oblituri sumus. Gratias maximas et valere!

"Campus of Dreams"

by Caitlin Cecilia Gilespie President Summers, Deans, and Faculty, you who manage and coach our team at Harvard; friends and family, you who have cheered us on in numbers that must equal those at Fenway; mothers and fathers, our number one fans, you who have believed in us, prayed for us, and even paid for us to be here; finally, my fellow classmates, the team of 2005; welcome to all! We have survived our four years here - we have rounded the bases - and as we head towards home plate, we are ensured of victory.

For indeed, going to Harvard is like moving up to the Big Leagues, and finally going to the Show. Four years ago, we tied on our cleats and stepped up to the plate, and with a "Thwack!" worthy of the Great Manny himself, we were off and running.

When I came to Boston, home of the Red Sox, I knew about the Curse, and I knew it wasn't going to be easy to succeed. Instead of the Babe or a Goat, however, Harvard has its own Achilles' heel, the inflated expectations created by being in a league of its own. After no doubt being All Stars in our own high schools, here we had to overcome fears of inferiority, the sense that the odds were against us, the feeling of the underdog. And believe me, I knew about underdogs - I've been a Cubs fan all my life! And, as the Sox struggled along bravely, we joined the team with a new President and became the "Boys and Girls of Summers."

As a first year, one realizes right away that Harvard is a whole different ball game, each class with its own champions, its Johnny Damons, its Curt Schillings. And where the Romans demanded "Bread and Circuses," we desired "Veritas" instead. Confused, we asked, "Who's on first?" "What's on second?" "I don't know about third!" "Will I make it home?!"

"Who" is first year, as we discover our Harvard personas, and live through the confusion. "What" characterizes our sophomore year, as building momen- tum, we round second base, choose our concentrations, and enter the upper- class houses. We think we look good - after all, sophomores are wise fools - and we prepare ourselves for the second half of the ride. Still uncertain of the future, as juniors we take advantage of our talents to round third, and build the perseverance to go all the way home. We help some with RBIs, and try not to think of others' ERAs. Finally, as seniors, we put off thinking about tomorrow as the cheering begins, and we finish our home run! Yet we arrive at home plate only to discover that our homecoming has brought us to a different place. Amazing to see - we have become a team, and we have a new home — Harvard.

For the past four years, Harvard has been our "Field of Dreams," whether we concentrated in biology, philosophy, or even a dead language, and we will always be welcome back. Graduating in a year of bests for Boston, this event makes us feel as if we too are world champions. We look forward to the hope of next year, and as we head off to different cities, different teams, different fields, we know that in our memories we can always return to Harvard, to relive the dream, to come home. We have won - let us keep on winning! Now there must be celebrating! Now is the time for the Duck Boats! And let us sing "Take me out to the Ball Game of Harvard," for this is one homer we will never forget. Thank you and farewell!