University to Give Grant Money to Cambridge

President Neil L. Rudenstine announced last week a landmark University-city joint effort to strengthen Cambridge's high school biology program.

In his first official visit before the city's School Committee, Rudenstine said Harvard will give about 30 percent of a five-year, $1.1 million grant.

The grant is from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and will be used to fund the advanced placement biology course at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS), according to Judy Bromley, an academic administrator at the College's department of biochemistry and molecular biology.

"[The collaboration has] a particular aim of attracting women and minority students," said John H. Shattuck, Harvard's vice president for government, community and public affairs.

Seventy-five thousand dollars will be spent on laboratory equipment for Rindge and Latin, said Bromley. In addition, Cambridge students will have the opportunity to work in Harvard labs over the summer, Bromley said.

Describing the grant as "tremendous for the high school," CRLS Assistant Principal Bill McLaurin added that Harvard's three biology departments would provide training for some of his science teachers.

"Also, those three departments will send over teachers and researchers to inspire our students and to give technical lectures," he said.

Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72--who appeared at last Tuesday's ceremonial announcement along with Rudenstine, McLaurin and Harrison--expressed high hopes for his city's high schoolers in a telephone interview last Friday afternoon.

"The preparation for the 21st century will involve greater emphasis on science and math than in the past century," he said. "What is [now] possible is for the scientists of the future to have more hands-on familiarity with invention and experimentation."

Despite a sometimes sour relationship between the city and the University, both parties say they are optimistic about the plan, which took three years to complete.

McLaurin first contacted Harvard University in 1989 in the hope that his AP biology students could utilize the University's extensive laboratory facilities, he said.

The plans failed to materialize but Shattuck referred McLaurin to Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Stephen C. Harrison '63.

The two men then applied for the grant last October and received notice of its acceptance last June, McLaurin said.