It's Not So Bad

It is summertime in Harvard Yard, and the temperature is over 100 degrees. A broken water main has flooded the grounds in front of University Hall with over two feet of water. Students wade through the water, clad in tee-shirts and bathing suits. Harvard Summer School can be fun.

Although the events of July 10, 1981 were unusual, they reflect a scenario that could only take place during those warn months between Commencement and Fall Registration, when most of the winter-term Harvard students aren't arranged to join in the fun.

There are many reasons to come to Harvard from the third Monday in June until the middle of August. Last year 5031 students enrolled in the Harvard Summer School, "the highest number over," according to Marshall R. Pihl '55, the School's Director.

"We recreate a Harvard College for the summer," Pihl said. "With senior tutors, proctors, and others, the staff in charge of residential matters alone is about 120 people."

The Summer School accepts 800 secondary school students each year. Kasharine G. Galaitsis, Assistant0 Dean for Student Services at the Summer School describes the admissions process as "very rigorous." Pihl added, "We are basically looking at high school juniors who have scored better than 1200 on their SAT's, and have at least a B-plus average."

University students generally have "no problem" being admitted to the regular program, said Pihl. But there are several special programs, like the Radcliffe Science Program, the Dance Program, and the English as a Foreign Language Program, that do have restricted admissions.

Up to 2500 students reside in Harvard dormitories, with the 300 High School students living exclusively in the Yard. "We've got to be able to keep an eye on The Yard," said Pihl, "the majority of the High School students have never been away from home before."

Last summer, in an effort to stem alcohol abuse, the administration spoke to local drinking establishments. As Peter I. Minowitz, a graduate student in government and Senior Proctor during the Summer Session said, "Proctors were strongly encouraged to take discipline seriously We were told to watch out for illegal drinking."

Minowitz stressed that "summer school is not all somber study." He recalled the time a hopital operating table was found in the Dunster House courtyard. "After looking around for a body, we decided it was a practical joke," he said.

But summer is not all care-free swimming through The Yard. "With one-third more classroom hours per week in one-third less time, summer students are notoriously busy," Pihl said.

One surprising statistic about the Summer School is the average age of its students. Last summer the typical student at Harvard was 23 years old, according to James A. Klein, Assistant Dean for Activities.

The high average age is a direct result of Pihl's shift to a greater number of night-classes. Pihl said that the night courses, which have been increasing in popularity since he started the program in 1979 attract many adults from the Boston area.

"About 2500 of our Summer School students live off campus," Pihl said. "Many of them are professionals interested in keeping pace with our rapidly changing world."

The Harvard Summer School has been "keeping pace" since it was founded in 1871 as a training ground for "teachers, officers, and other competent persons."