On the first day, as students cried “Latin si, Pusey no,” on the steps of Widener Library, crowds gathered as Phillip A. Stone ’62 gave a speech in Latin in favor of keeping the traditional diplomas.
But Pusey had his own witty retort.
In response to the frustrated mass of undergraduates, the University president delivered a poem:
“What’s pat in Latin
Or chic in Greek
Multimedia
I always distinguish
More clearly in English.”
The words did little to quiet the students, however, as the protest gathered force on Friday, bringing even more students to the Yard—much to the chagrin of University administrators.
Ultimately, as the crowd continued to grow despite efforts to avoid conflict, the police were called in to disperse the students, reportedly using tear gas and smoke bombs.
‘TONGUE AND CHEEK’
Students, who viewed the protest as peaceful and all in good fun, were offended by the use of force, recalling that the administration did not seem to understand the nonthreatening nature of the demonstrations.
“I think there were very few people who really cared but it seemed like something to make a fuss about,” Elliot S. Gershon ’61 says. “I think the weather was good and people needed a break.” Gershon also says he suspects that for a few students “a couple of glasses of wine” might have played a large part in the outcry.
“It was pretty much a tongue and cheek riot—if you want to call it a riot,” Abbell adds.
But many of those involved also feel as though their protest was not without significance.
“We wanted to make our unhappiness known and we did very elegantly, I think,” Paul M. Meo ’61 says. “It was in the spirit of fun and Pusey shouldn’t have unleashed the police on us, but he did.”
Read more in News
Timothy E. WirthRecommended Articles
-
Making Diplomas ModernI’m more than happy to type Harvard under the education section of my resume. But when it comes to specifying
-
Russian Criminal Group Forges College DiplomasRussian police have arrested a criminal group responsible for the trafficking of counterfeit college diplomas, including those from Harvard, according to a statement released by the state-run news outlet Russian Information Agency Novosti.
-
Down With Latin HonorsRemoving the system of Latin honors would increase the overall academic quality at Harvard by encouraging students to take courses based on genuine interest rather than a superficial concern for GPA.
-
On the HLS DiplomaHarvard need not give up its rich Latin tradition in order to improve the communicative impact of its diplomas.
-
NDEA Grants Ignite Debate Over Cold War LoyaltyIn November 1959, Harvard withdrew from the NDEA student loan program, joining universities from across the country in protest against the affidavit and the limitations on free speech that it entailed.
-
The Shame of Behavioral HealthThis university has great resources to help us manage the many stressors associated with professional life. We should never be ashamed to take advantage of them!