Gearing the Big H up for Commencement

From over 67,000 rented chairs to $15,000 worth of grass seed, the University each year invests thousands of dollars in chairs, tables, tents and labor in preparation for four days of Commencement activities.

Much of the effort concentrates on turning the space between Memorial Church and Widener Library into the approximately 20,000-person Tercentenary Theater, the place where North America's oldest ritual takes place each year.

Among the 67,000 rented chairs scattered around campus for reunion and house events, exactly 18,700 seats will fill the grassy space from the steps of Pusey Library to the back of Weld Hall for Thursday's graduation ceremonies.

For those not lucky enough to participate in a Harvard function, however, chairs might be a scarce commodity. The University's huge demands on chair rental companies radically deplete the inventories of several local suppliers, says Robert L. Dwyer, a buyer in Harvard's purchasing department.

But the cost of comfort isn't light. Each chair costs the University $1.25 in rental and labor fees, Dwyer says.

Even those lucky enough to have seats, however, are not guaranteed protection from the elements. The University provides a tent as shelter against rain or rays--but only for the dignitaries on the main stage. A brand new, 175-ft. tent covers the makeshift platform in front of Memorial Church where President Derek C. Bok and other VIPs will sit. The dacron bigtop is more than twice as large as the old canvas tent it replaces.

If Mother Nature should break the Commencement day tradition of sunny skies--as she did during last year's Class Day exercises--rain will run neatly off the specially-designed tent instead of dripping down all around the edges, said Michael N. Lichten, University Commencement coordinator. Harvard rented 50 additional tents which began popping up around campus earlier this week.

Commencement is essentially a time for age-old traditions, and one of the best examples is the tolling of the Memorial Church bells at the start of the exercises.

Since the automatic bell-ringing system cannot switch tempo to produce the joyful peals and mournful tolling required during Commencement week, a specially-trained campanologist must take over for the machines.

That bell-ringer, usually a roofer from International Service Systems, will maintain telephone contact with a ground crew. With the ground crew's instruction, he will ring for entrance and exit of the morning and afternoon Commencement processions, and at the memorial services held by members of the three major reunions.

By the morning of June 5, the chairs, tent, sound and light systems of Tercentenary Theater will stand ready for the 700 dignitaries, 1700 graduating seniors, 3350 graduate students and their 9200 guests, says Elizabeth A. d'Estree, Commencement coordinator in the University Marshall's Office.

If you're not one of the dignitaries, however, it might be a wise idea to arrive early. Just like popular airlines, Harvard has distributed 11,500 tickets, which translates into 2,000 more invited guests than seats. Each senior receives four guest tickets, while graduate students receive two or three each, which are assigned randomly.

Those unable to make the trek to the Yard can catch the big event on a local television station, WGBH, which will broadcast the ceremonies live from Tercentenary Theater. In addition, the Commencement ceremony will be shown on large screen televisions in Sanders Theater and Science Center B--where the speeches will be signed for the deaf.

And for yet one last Harvard memento, proud parents can buy a video cassette of their offspring's graduation for $130, which includes all seven hours of Class Day--morning and afternoon Exercises. The made-for-TV shortened version will also be available at a reduced cost courtesy of the Harvard Video Services (HVS). Last year 100 tapes were sold, says Robert E. DesMaisons of HVS, adding that he anticipates sales to increase as more people acquire video players.

And if it rains?

Although tradition has it that it never rains on the first Thursday in June, bad-weather plans do exist. In the event of a downpour, the ceremonies would proceed as usual, although in somewhat shortened form, Lichten adds.

To avoid getting drenched on its walk from the Yard to the Memorial Church platform, the President's Division would march instead from Widener Steps. Also, more large screen TV's would be set up in locations around campus for the convenience of rain-shy guests.