Famous People Eat Turkey Too

The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving more than 360 years ago around 60 miles south of Harvard Yard.

In the towns surrounding Plymouth, people will gorge themselves on turkey dinner and go to the high school football game, eat pumpkin pie and, perhaps, go to sleep. But what do prominent, even famous, people do during the November holiday?

As the red, brown, orange, yellow leaves of autumn fall from trees across America and the holiday season draws near, President Bush will be spending Thanksgiving this year with American troops stationed in the sands of Saudi Arabia. The White House declined comment on the exact location of President and Mrs. Bush's Thanksgiving meal. A spokesperson for the president said she was "not at liberty to disclose" the contents of the presidential plate. One can only speculate: yams?

Here in the Boston area, Governor Michael S. Dukakis plans to spend the holidays with his family in a small, private dinner at home, and the office of Cambridge Mayor Alice K. Wolfe disclosed that she will be at her sister's house in Belmont for Thanksgiving. Neither public official would comment on what they were grateful for this year.

Wilson

Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson said she planned to cook the "traditional" family turkey this year, and is expecting family members at her home for the holidays. Wilson said the blessings for which she was most grateful for include "first and foremost, my family, and for the moment, peace."

Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield said he plans to travel far away from the land of the Puritans and Pilgrims for the holiday: he's going to Phoenix to visit his son. Mansfield said he will attend the New England Patriots vs. the Phoenix Cardinals game, which may decide next year's first round draft choice. He said he's grateful for "a healthy country and a world that's much more democratic."

Shakespearian scholar and Professor of English Marjorie Garber will also be going south. "I'm going to Boca Raton, Florida, where my mother now lives," she said, adding that she hopes to spend some time in the sun.

Rosovsky

She said her dinner will be a "highly traditional affair" and that she's grateful for "a day off."

Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Henry Rosovsky will spend the day with his daughter, who is cooking the turkey. He said he is "thankful that his administrative career at Harvard is rapidly drawing to a close."

Walburg Professor of Economics John Kenneth Galbraith is spending the holidays with his three sons and their families who are coming home.