A Fiftieth First

Ten years ago, when Kenneth R. Rossano, secretary for the class of 1956, was chairing the HAA’s Radcliffe-Harvard Relations Committee, a...

Ten years ago, when Kenneth R. Rossano, secretary for the class of 1956, was chairing the HAA’s Radcliffe-Harvard Relations Committee, a utopian picture came into his head: a joint Harvard and Radcliffe fiftieth reunion, with Harvard men and Radcliffe women celebrating side by side their half-century since graduation and their shared lives and experiences. He decided to make it happen.

This June, 456 alumni and 99 alumnae from the classes of 1956 traveled to the Yard for the first-ever combined fiftieth. The reunion committee, guided by Robert Benson and Margaret (Moores) Benson, A.L.B. ’96, Paula Budlong Cronin, Joan Harvey Burns, and Ann Myers Hershfang, comprised more than 200 members, male and female. The joint Fiftieth Anniversary Report, a 1,200-page behemoth—with the Radcliffe “Records of the Class” positioned symbolically at the center, rather than the end—reflected a high degree of participation among both men and women, thanks to the efforts of class-report cochairs Cronin and Stephen A. Greyser. In fact, a larger percentage of Radcliffe classmates contributed to the joint report than had ever contributed to a separate Radcliffe ’56 report, and a larger percentage of the women planned to attend the joint reunion than had ever come to a separate reunion. Rossano surveyed the fruits of his decade-long effort with pride. “Classes before us, and several after us, said that a totally integrated fiftieth reunion and fiftieth class report could not be done,” he noted. “The class of 1956 has proven it can be accomplished.”

Underscoring the milestone is the fact that such a combined reunion and report will remain unique, at least for a while. The Harvard and Radcliffe classes of ’57 and ’58 intend to resume the practice of separate celebrations.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts's Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

The Elephant in the Room

Conservative undergraduates’ campus debates

Explore More From Current Issue

Professor David Liu smiles while sitting at a desk with colorful lanterns and a figurine in the background.

This Harvard Scientist Is Changing the Future of Genetic Diseases

David Liu has pioneered breakthroughs in gene editing, creating new therapies that may lead to cures.

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

A person walks across a street lined with historic buildings and a clock tower in the background.

Harvard In the News

A legal victory against Trump, hazing in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, and kicking off a Crimson football season with style