Commencement Cares: Tents and Chairs

Not everyone at Harvard is finished with final exams.

For most who remain in Cambridge, the two weeks between the end of reading period and Commencement are a time for relaxation and reflection. But for several hundred students and staff, the first Thursday in June will see almost a semester's worth of toil put to the test.

On Thursday, a single day of pageantry will end the months of preparation, as thousands of students, alumni and guests particpate in this year's Commencement. And if all goes well, the efforts will result in another successful staging of Harvard's annual show of shows.

Over the past week, the Sever Quad has been transformed from a frisbee and lacrosse haven to the site of the nation's oldest graduation ceremonies. The University has erected more than 70 tents around the Yard and in the courtyards of the residential houses. The largest--a 175-foot dacron covering bought in 1986 for Harvard's 350th Anniversary--covers the Tercentenary Theater stage alongside Memorial Church. It protects an area more than twice as large as previous structures, shielding the likes of President Derek C. Bok, Pakistani Prime Minister and Commencement Speaker Benazir Bhutto from the elements.

Harvard has also acquired 65 wheelchairs for the four days of reunions and other events, says Purchasing Office buyer Robert L. Dwyer. He says several will be kept in Harvard Yard for emergencies, while the rest will be placed around campus.

And while legend has it that it never rains on a Harvard graduation, the University has still made plans for signs of showers. Should the weather grow bad, Harvard will provide indoor viewing areas in the Science Center and the houses, and Commencement processions will start at Widener Library instead of Johnston Gate.

Another special feature of Commencement is the ringing of Memorial Church's bells. Although the bells are controlled electronically during the school year, the more complex melodies that accompany the three reunions' memorial services and the processions call for a return to more primitive technology.

A trained bell ringer--usually a roofer from International Service Systems--climbs the tower to sound the chimes by hand. The bells are rung at a signal from the ground crew, which maintains communication with the ringer by telephone.

A Sea of Chairs

Down below, a sea of folding chairs blankets Tercentenary Theater, stretching from Memorial Church to the steps of Widener Library and from University Hall to Sever Hall. The University has rented 73,000 chairs to accommodate the week's activities--19,000 for Commencement exercises alone--at a cost of $.70 to about $1.50 each, says Dwyer.

Such stockpiling could mean trouble for Cantabridgians wanting to stage an affair of their own. One store is not enough to satisfy Harvard's need for seats--Dwyer says it must tap the inventories of five area rental companies.

Those who come to view Commencement, however, are not necessarily guaranteed a place to sit. According to the University Marshal's office, approximately 20,000 passes to the Yard have been distributed, leaving some 1000 ticket-holders to view graduation ceremonies from the steps of Widener or University Hall.

"We have a shortage of seats," says Commencement Superintendent Allan J. Powers. "It's a physical impossibility to accommodate all the people who receive tickets."

Yet those who cannot witness the exercises firsthand should not despair. Boston's WGBX-TV, Channel 44 will televise the proceedings and WHRB (95.3 FM) will broadcast them.

And if once is not enough, the day's events can be relived again and again with a videotape produced by the University's audiovisual department.