HARVARD CONSTRUCTION UNIT BACK FROM FRANCE

The Harvard Construction Unit, known in France as the "Mission Harvard," which was composed of members of the Harvard Graduate School of Landscape Architecture, undergraduate members of the University, and undergraduates of several other colleges, has recently returned from France.

The members of the unit, which was under the direction of R. Coggeshall '16, were stationed at different places in France where they could be of the most aid: 12 men were at Clermont-in-Argonne, 10 at Somme-Py, and 3 at Rheims. Guy H. Lee '16 and R. F. Buell '20, both of whom accompanied the unit to France, were the originators of the idea, and did much to bring about its final completion and organization.

Purpose to Help French

The purpose of the unit was primarily to express to the French our desire to help and aid her in her task of reconstruction. The mission did not propose to direct any portion of the work in which it was engaged, but placed itself entirely at the disposal of the departmental engineers of the Ministry of Liberated Regions of northern and eastern France.

Besides having opportunity to see the scale of destruction caused by the recent war, and the most important and interesting places of France, the members of the mission had an unparalleled chance for work and study under some of the more renowned French experts. At Rheims, the men were directed and instructed in their work of rebuilding the Church of Saint Jacques by M. Deneu, who is considered the greatest living authority on Gothic and Renaissance Architecture and who has entire charge of the work of rebuilding the world-famous Cathedral at Rheims. During this work M. Deneu, who has never before allowed anyone to assist him in his work, often was kind enough to lecture to his assistants about his profession.

At Somme-Py and Clermont, however, the work was more of an engineering nature. The men were kept busy making topographical surveys, laying out anew towns which had been entirely wiped off the map, and in designing various public buildings. As nearly as possible, the work was carried on with the thought of preserving the atmosphere of the small French town, but with the idea, however, of the future development of water and electric light systems along modern lines. But besides this, some of the men were employed in looking up and tracing old property maps and records to take the place of the more modern ones which had been destroyed by the German invaders.

Aid Cooperative Society

In addition to their other activities, the men aided the French Community Co-operative Society, which has charge of buying all of the clothing, food and other material which was needed by the destitute of the devastated regions.

On week ends, the men were able to visit the important and interesting places in France, the battlefields, and to study the landscape architecture for which France is so famous.