An Icy Amenity

Photograph by Stu Rosner Dean of the Law School Elena Kagan testified that she decided on the spur of a frozen moment in January...

Photograph by Stu Rosner

Dean of the Law School Elena Kagan testified that she decided on the spur of a frozen moment in January to flood the field by Harkness Commons to form a skating rink. Almost at once, it was done, and incipient lawyers and other Harvardians took to the ice, some to practice hockey moves, others to go around in circles sedately, others to twirl and crash. The rink is lighted for use into the night, and tinny, canned music is occasionally provided. Kagan reportedly got her idea from a 1950s photograph showing the field as a rink, with frolickers. The modern rink will remain open, says the dean, "until it melts."

     

Most popular

Martin Nowak Placed on Leave a Second Time

Further links to Jeffrey Epstein surface in newly released files.

Inside Harvard’s Most Egalitarian School

The Extension School is open to everyone. Expect to work—hard.

Pete Buttigieg Calls For a Politics of ‘Belonging’

A Kennedy School panel discusses polarization and the uncertain future of American democracy.

Explore More From Current Issue

A close-up of a beetle on the textured surface of a cycad cone and cycad cones seen in infrared silhouette.

Research in Brief

Cutting-edge discoveries, distilled

A person climbs a curved ladder against a colorful background and four vertical ladders.

Harvard’s Productivity Trap

What happened to doing things for the sake of enjoyment?