Lamont Credits Two Men with Same Book

Not every book can claim the honor of being given to the University twice. But number 48881, "American Polo," by Newell Beat, is an exception.

Tucked away in an obscure corner of Lamont, "American Polo" bears a bookplate inside its front cover saying "This volume was acquired with the income of a fund given by Philip R. Morss, Class of 1917." On the first page, however, is another bookplate reading "Library of the Harvard Union. The gift of the author." Bent's signature is also included.

To top this all off, there is a letter pasted inside the back cover from Bent to the University Library saying that he is complying with its request for a copy of the book.

It seems that the University promised all donors of $1,000 to the Lamont endowment fund that their nameplates would be placed in 50 books for posterity. The library made a slight error, however, when it put Morss' name in a volume that had been in its possession for some 15 years.