MORISON HARD AT WORK ON HISTORY OF HARVARD

The Tercentennial History of Harvard University is being prepared by Professor S. E. Morison '08 in connection with the celebrations which will mark the three hundredth anniversary of the founding of Harvard College in 1936.

The work will probably be issued in three volumes, each about the size of the Quinquennial Catalogue. There may also be issued a one volume abbreviated edition for popular consumption. The first two volumes will deal with the narrative history of the College from its beginning to the present day, and will be written by Professor Morison. The third volume will be composed of monographs on the history of the different departments and graduate schools during the last 50 years, and will be written by the older members of the Faculty.

The preliminary chapters of the two volumes to be written by Professor Morison will deal with English and Continental colleges which the founders were trying to imitate. Old prints, plans of the College Yard at various stages of development, portraits of prominent benefactors, and the like will be used for illustration.

The story will be told from two different points of view, national and local. Harvard as a national institution and her influence on education, is one important aspect of her history. But Harvard men will also wish to read about the college as an institution by itself, with a unique undergraduate life always changing its tempo and yet retaining much the same quality for three centuries.

The Associated Harvard Clubs have cooperated with the author in sending out a call for old letters and diaries about the college life of the past, to be used in the compilation of the work. In connection with his researches in writing the history, Professor Morison will next year give a senior course on the early history of the college.

As yet the work has progressed little beyond the gathering of material, but some of the chapters are already written and Professor Morison expects to have the first volume ready in 1929. The entire history will be ready for the tercentenary of 1936.