Crimson History

Plan for Athletic Field Across River

Plans for the construction of an athletic field beyond the Business School, and participation in the Weld golf course have been approved by the Committee on the Regulation of Athletic Sports.

The Committee approved the tentative plan to develop tennis courts and playing fields on the vacant land on North Harvard Street south of the Business School…The plan involves the building of between 12 and 16 tennis courts, and the grading and seeding of six or seven acres of athletic fields.

—Feb. 9, 1927

50 Years Ago

Recent Capture of White Whale Fails to Mar Melville’s Meaning

The interpretation of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick,” with all its symbolic levels, remains unchanged despite the fact that a white whale has been captured off the coast of Peru, two university professors stated yesterday.

Vladimir Nabokov, visiting lecturer on Slavic Languages and Literature, and Theodore Morrison, professor of English, both agreed that critics would not revert to a literal interpretation of the novel now that a French vessel has reported the capture of a real albino sperm whale.

“All this is just a reporter’s story,” Nabokov said. “It just came to the paper after passing through several sources, none of whom was a naturalist.”

Nabokov, who will teach Humanities 2 this term, continued, “The news article itself is also fiction, not fact. One type of fiction has been created by a reporter, and the other type has been created by Melville.”

—Feb. 5, 1952

25 Years Ago

Faculty Council Approves Fox Housing Proposal, Decision Left to Rosovsky

Dean Fox’s controversial proposal to revamp the housing system moved one step closer to implementation last week as the Faculty Council unanimously approved the plan at its regular meeting last Wednesday….

The Fox Plan eliminates sophomore housing in Canaday Hall and means the end of four-class housing at the Quad, turning the Quad Houses into three-year Houses like the River Houses.

—Feb. 7, 1977

City Council Approves DNA Research

The Cambridge City Council last night ensured the survival of recombinant DNA research within the city limits as it ratified the recommendations of the Cambridge Experimentation Review Board (CERB), the citizen’s panel that recommended the controversial research be allowed to continue under special guidelines....

When Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci’s special amendment completely banning the research failed, it was apparent the CERB recommendations would be approved.

—Feb. 8, 1977