Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 186, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1912 — IS 100 YEARS OLD [ARTICLE]

IS 100 YEARS OLD

Famous Dormitory at Harvard Was Built in 1812. 1 — Money to Put the Mail Up Was Raised by a. Lottery, Which Made a Profit of $29,000. Cambridge, Mass. —Not- only every Harvard man but every visitor who has crossed the classic yard of the old university will be interested in the fact that Holworthy hall, one of the dormitories facing on the elmshaded quadrangle, celebrates Its centenary this year. For a full hundred years it has been occupied by successive generations of students. The history of Holworthy is interesting. Before it was built the college had faced out over Cambridge common, turning Its back on what is now the yard. The three oldest buildings, Harvard (1672-82), the original Stoughton (1699) and Massachusetts hall (1720), formed three sides of a square open to the west. Later (1763) Hollis was built In line with Stoughton and .with the help of Holden chapel, three sides of another square were thus formed, this one also opening to the west. These western faces were the front of the building. Behind them in what is the present yard were wood houses, the brewhouse and other outbuildings. Stoughton was finally taken down in 1780 and a different plan of arrangement then became possible. Still the present Stoughton, built in 1803, Was placed on a line with Hollis and It also faced the west In 1811, however, another dormitory being needed, It was voted In the firkt place “that the corporation will proceed to erect a new college for the habitation of students on the site of old Stoughton hall.” and Mr. Lowell and Loammt Baldwin were appointed a committee to make necessary eon--tracts and superintend the erection of the building. If this plan had been carried out it would have effectually blocked the development of the present college yard. Fortunately better counsels prevailed, says the Harvard Graduates’ Magazine. On March 11, 1811, Mr. Baldwin presen plan for the new college, and it was voted “that the committee appointed to contract for the erection of the new college be re-

quested to cause the same to be erected to the eastward of new Steughton and extending its front southerly, nearly east and west, and that the same be built upon the principles of ’the plan exhibited by L. Baldwin, with single rooms in the front and two studies in the rear, and to form the north side of a quadrangle which, when completed, may be nearly equilateral.’’ The money with which to build the new hall was not derived from the Holworthy bequest received many years before, as might be Inferred from the name, but cadfe from the proceeds of a lottery which had been authorized by act of the legislature. March 14, 1806. The treasurer’s books show that the lottery produced about $29,000, of which sum $24,500 was spent on Holworthy hall. This was a not unusual way of raising money for public purposes and no ill opinion was attached to it at that time. Stoughton hall had been built in like manner by a lottery authorized in 1794. In the corporation records it was specified that the rent of rooms in Holworthy should be $26 a year.