Excerpts From Mrs. Baker's New Book Describe College's Two Hundredth Anniversary--"Fair Harvard" First Sung

The following article is taken from "The Story of Fay House" by Mrs. George Plerce Baker, which is to be published on May 7 by the Harvard University Press. The description of the commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of Harvard's founding is quoted, in Mrs. Baker's book, from "The Poetry of Travelling in the United States," by Caroline Gilman, published in New York in 1838.

This memorable day (Sept. 8th, 1836) is ushered in by clouds, but I cannot bring myself to believe that they will not disperse. Everything should be bright on this great anniversary, the two hundredth year since the foundation of Harvard College.... The noble elm of Washington, the tree beneath which his tent was pitched in the revolutionary war, is waving quietly in the breeze not far from my window, the only object in the whole circle of my view which saw the infant day of Harvard....

By nine o'clock there was a crowd of ladies at the church door, waiting for its opening. The key was turned within, and in we rushed. I should have been badly seated, after all, had not one of the seats reserved for the President's family in the gallery been kindly offered me. From that point I saw everything to the greatest advantage, and watched with eagerness the procession which entered in the following order:

Students of the University; Band of Music; Chief Marshal and Aids; Committee of Arrangements; President Quincy and Chaplain of the day; The Corporation of the University; Ex-president Kirkland, and President Humphrey of Amherst College; His Excellency the Governor and Suite; The Vice-Presidents of the Day; Senators and Representatives in Congress; Judges of the United States and State Courts, and Attorney General; Benefactors of the University, distinguished Strangers, and other Guests specially invited; The Overseers of the University; Professors, Tutors, and Officers of the University; Gentlemen who have received honorary degrees, and who do not come under any regular Class of Graduates; Graduates of the University in the order of their Classes, from the oldest class present, to 1836; Students of the Divinity School, Law School, and Medical School, who are not included above.

There were no ladies on the lower floor, but countless beaming eyes from the galleries testified their interest in the human mass that was collecting below, filling every point of the building, wave upon wave. The Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, ninety years of age, commenced the services by prayer.... "The age that was past" seemed speaking to one and all this time-worn form with oracular energy. Then the following Ode "Fair Harvard" by the Rev. S. Gilman, was performed for the first time by a select choir....

President Quincy's discourse was an interesting revelation of the early history of the College. There was a happy mixture of graceful good rumor mingled with the more serious matter of Mr. Quincy's essay and a general smile lit up the countenances of the audience to whom bequests of thousands of dollars were familiar, to hear him read records of donations to the College of an iron spoon and pewter cup, or similar articles. Most or the ladies rushed from the house to see the procession move to the Pavilion, a few, perhaps half a dozen, were detained accidentally in the gallery, and formation of the procession in the Church, which they witnessed, constituted one of the most interesting and affecting scenes of the celebration. The marshal of the day called "the class of 1759." There was no response--the only survivor, a gentleman from Maine, being incapacitated from attendance. Successive classes were summoned; there was a hush over that immense concourse that would have made a footfall seem loud. At length "the class of 1744" was called; a feeble old man stepped forth, and passed along the aisle alone. A reaction was experienced, and a burst of animated cheers followed his tottering foot-steps. It was a grand moment. I know nothing finer in the poetry of life....