Nonetheless, members of the University community were surprised when Conant resigned on Jan. 12, 1953 to accept President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower's offer to become the U.S. High Commissioner to Germany.

Moments after Conant announced his resignation, waves of speculation flooded the Yard. Students, faculty, and staff alike wondered whom the Harvard Corporation--the University's chief governing body--would select as a replacement.

Alongside the breaking news article announcing Conant's resignation, The Crimson ran a one-column story that began, "Harvard's next president will,

in all probability, be a white, Protestant, Boston-born, Harvard-educated, University Faculty member, between 36 and 52 years old. At least, all his American-born predecessors have been."

Later in the article, however, the Crimson brought to light what would prove to be a pervasive problem in the presidential search. Because the faculty had become more and more diverse--and the war had hindered some from moving forward with their academic careers--the Corporation had fewer "proper" professors to choose from on their own faculty.

The Corporation's traditional search criteria had, by necessity, become obsolete.

Although they were, for the most part, kept in the dark regarding the

presidential selection process, Harvard students did not hesitate to voice their opinions. After Conant announced his resignation, one student climbed a tree and vowed not to descend until Eliot House Master John Finley was chosen.