The College Pump

A man with a long beard and formal attire stands next to a chalkboard with an equation.

They Might Be (Harvard) Giants

Two tales of University greats—and an encounter with a Tiger

Smarmy cad Rousseau sweeps Fairness off her feet with talk of the “general will.”

“A Theory of Justice: The Musical!” and Harvard’s Class of 1944

A Theory of Justice as musical comedy, and the class of ’44

The beginning of Thomas’s entry in the Class of 1838’s Class Book (Harvard University Archives, HUD 238.714)

Memoir of "Lighthouse Thomas," A.B. 1838: from a hole in the ground to Harvard

From a hole in the ground to Harvard

First Lieutenant Llewellyn S. Parsons, Army Air Force, center top, completed Statistical School Class 46-1 in September 1945.

An Air Forces Statistical School alumnus and Carl Vigeland on Archibald MacLeish

Statistically, a Harvard man—and Vigeland on MacLeish

Robert Kiely escorts Tennessee Williams at Commencement in 1982.

Tennessee Williams meets Mother Teresa, and Gore Vidal on Harvard

Tennessee Williams, Mother Teresa…and Gore Vidal

The Pennoyer schoolhouse bell, from Pulham St. Mary in England, now at Leverett House

Harvard’s Pennoyer bell, Allan R. Robinson, and "Illegitimum non carborundum"

Of the Pennoyer bell, and Harvard Bandsman Allan R. Robinson, Latin librettist

Marden in New Zealand on his way from the farm to Wellington to try to leave for America, 1942

How Bill Marden got into Harvard and fulfilled the language requirement

How Bill Marden got into Harvard and fulfilled the language requirement.

Mark Saltveit displays for the first (and last?) time the World Palindrome Championship trophy.

Palindromist Mark Saltveit, Yo-Yo Ma on Leon Kirchner, and a sleuthing architect

A World Palindrome Champion, a sleuthing architect, and Yo-Yo Ma on Leon Kirchner

A replica of what may be the earliest known version of the American flag to include stars

Rare 1776 U.S. flag displayed; Motif No. 1 celebrated in new book

A star-spangled Colonial find and a book honoring Motif No. 1

Kahlil Gibran's likeness of Harvard president Charles William Eliot, drawn in 1910

Kahlil Gibran draws Harvard's Charles William Eliot, plus Arnoldia's centennial

The prophet (Gibran) and the president (Eliot), plus Arnoldia turns 100.

Peter Sellars

Peter Sellars at Adams House, and an Upstairs at the Pudding restaurant girlhood

An Upstairs at the Pudding girlhood, and undergraduate impresario Peter Sellars at Adams House