Stirring Torchlight Parades Marked College Campaigns Half-Century Ago

Political wrangling at Harvard is no sudden by product of these disordered days, but has a long genealogy, embedded in traditional demonstrations, surrounded by anecdotes at least interesting if not true. CRIMSON files for years long since passed into the anonymous classification of "the days when" reveal an astouding partisan spirit, an intense and furious interest in all things political.

Eyes of Reporter Uncertain in 1868

Of all the forms into which Harvard political enthusiasm evolved perhaps the best known is the "torchlight parade," first conceived in 1868 in the campaign of Grant and Seymour. Its features of orginality, its full panoply of plug hat, black bottle, and class uniform, seem to have been due not to any gradual development but according to all reports were present at the very first parade. This fact is not entirely certain, however, as the reporter for the college paper, who was present at this 1868 procession, was unable to give at good account of either himself or the procession. His notes, taken while on the march reveal themselves. They follow verbatim;

"750 Cheers!"

"Hang such mud, anyway! Three cheers for the house on the right, 750 times! Ditto for house on left, 700 times! Ladies in the balcony, 50 each! Ladies with Roman candles, three! Contemplative peeler on left, one! Bully for the man who treated to coffee!"

In 1872 the wrath of the Faculty descended upon a proposed torchlight procession, decreeing that if one was conducted it must not be as representatives of the University. Accordingly with true Harvard deference for University authority, a transparency was carried by the Class of 1873 in the procession, which bore upon it the legend, "Whoever says we are Harvard Seniors is a Liar and a Villain." This obedience to the Faculty's decree taught that body never to interfere again in processions of this kind.

"Spirit of '76" Figures in 1876

An increased freedom of speech figured in the 1876 procession which was notable for its transparencies. Some of the planks announced were "Hayes and Wheeler and Reform in the Faculty, Honesty in Policies and Cribs in Examinations" and "Hard Money and Soft Electives." Unusual patriotism figured in this 1876 procession, says the account, evidenced by the students' frequent references to the "Spirit of '76" which they carried with them in the black bottles.

In the CRIMSON for November 3, 1876 appears the following poem descriptive of that '76 parade.

Charge of the (Torch) Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league townward,

Boldly from Harvard Square,

Rode the five hundred.

What, a conductor there!

Put him out! Pay no rare!

Yelled they from Harvard Square,

Yelled the five hundred.

Cives to right of them,

Cives to left of them,

Cives in front of them,

Shouted and thundered;

Stormed at with Billingsgate

Full at each beavered pate

Over the cobble-stones (Rough on a fellow's bones)

Marched the five hundred.

Flashed all their teeth laid bare,

Flashed as they cheered the fair;

Chaffing the unwashed there,

Chaffing the redolent, while

Democracy wondered.

Plunged in the torches' smoke

Straight down the street they broke;

Cheese-it and Peeler

Reeled from their classic joke,

Reeled back confounded.

Then they marched back, but not,

NOT the five hundred.

Cives to right of them,

Cives to left of them,

Cives behind them,

Shouted and thundered,

Flirting with many a belle

While torch and head-gear fell,

They that had marched so well (?)

Came o'er the cobble-stones,

Played out in legs and lungs.

All that was left of them,

Left of five hundred.

When can remembrance fade

Of that wild march they made,

While Athens wondered?

'Rah for the march they made!

'Rah for the Wild Brigade!

Tattered five hundred!

Up to the 1884 campaign there had never been any question as to which party the torchlight procession represented,--Harvard had always been Republican. In 1884, however, the Union of the Independent and Democratic parties injected a new question into the plans for the procession. Was there to be one procession representing the majority of Harvard opinion or two separate parades, representative of both Democratic and Republican parties?

Many communications to the CRIMSON in that year reveal the great amount of hostility that was created by this lack of unanimity. The Chairman of the Independent Democratic forces, supporting Cleveland and Hendricks, appealed to the class of 1885 to join the Democratic ranks because Massachusetts Institute of Technology had thrown in their lot on the side of the Democrats, a fact which was untrue. An angry Republican immediately wrote the CRIMSON and said, "Now it may be asked if Harvard can, in respect to itself, turn out with a party which takes such shady methods to secure our presence in its ranks."

Crimson Calms the Storm

The CRIMSON attempted to calm the storm by explaining editorially that "What we want is a large demonstration which will reflect credit upon the college. Men who are indifferent as to which procession to join should do as the majority directs."

This plea seems to have had the desired effect. When it was announced that a straw vote taken by the Union had resulted in the selection of the Republican candidate, James G. Blaine, by a vote of 483 to 462, all classes in the University pledged themselves to abide by the decision of the majority and unite in a Republican parade.

Procession Starts From Jail

Orders were immediately passed by the Chief Marshal for all classes to procure uniforms. Freshmen were asked to wear plug hats. The order of march consisted of first the Cambridge Police Force and then the Drum Corps, Senior class, Junior class, University Band, Sophomore class, Freshman class, hired band, Law School, Medical School, graduates and carriages, containing the football team and leaders of the Republican party at college. The procession marched from the Charles Street Jail, up Commonwealth Avenue, down as far as Dartmouth Street to Boylston, past the Brunswick Hotel, where Mr. Blaine reviewed it, to Columbus Avenue, through to the South End, and finally into the business section.

Notes of the parade state that at "Dr. Gannet's school, on Chester Square, the young ladies were unusually demonstrative.

"Rumors that the Drum Corps was to have a champagne supper at the Vendome proved to be unfounded."

Among the transparencies there was one that stated that "the average age of the Board of Overseers was 95 in the shade."

In the 1884 campaign the torchlight procession seems to have reached the height of its popularity. Although it has figured in all the Presidential elections up to 1920 it has never been entered upon with the same enthusiasm as marked its execution in days gone by It seems to have joined the ranks, of Harvard traditions that now are numbered only by the epitaph R. I. P.