Overview
This collection contains handwritten lists of Harvard freshmen entering the College in the years 1743-1753, 1758, and 1760-1764 which correspond to the Harvard Classes of 1747-1757, 1762, and 1764-1768. The admission lists provide the first documentary evidence of a student's life at Harvard and were presumably created in the early days of the fall semester.
Dates
- Creation: 1743-1764
Creator
- Harvard College (1636-1780) (Organization)
Researcher Access
The Harvard College admission lists are open for research.
Copying Restriction
Copying of fragile materials may be limited.
Extent
.26 cubic feet (1 half-legal document box)This collection contains handwritten lists of Harvard freshmen entering the College in the years 1743-1753, 1758, and 1760-1764 which correspond to the Harvard Classes of 1747-1757, 1762, and 1764-1768. The admission lists provide the first documentary evidence of a student's life at Harvard and were presumably created in the early days of the fall semester.
The lists are written on folio-sized loose leaves, and they all appear to be in the hand of President Edward Holyoke (who served as Harvard president from 1737 to 1769). All of the lists contain entries with the student's name, hometown, age at admission, and date of birth, except for the 1758 freshmen list which only contains student surnames. The order in which the student names appear on the list does not appear to reflect any ranking. From 1743 until 1760, the lists are titled "Catalogue of freshmen," and from 1764 to 1764, they are titled "Recentes approbati."
The documents have water and mold damage and are very fragile. Many of the documents are missing text due to paper loss.
Item titles are transcribed from document versos.
Historical note
In the 18th century, prospective Harvard students appeared before the president and at least two tutors on a publicized date shortly before Commencement for an entrance examination. As specified in the College Laws, if the student successfully displayed sufficient knowledge of both Latin and Greek and indicated a good moral character, he was granted admission to Harvard. Most Harvard freshmen were from nearby Massachusetts towns, and while their ages ranged from twelve to the mid-twenties, most freshmen were between fourteen and seventeen when they entered the College. To attend Harvard, students needed to sign a copy of the College Laws that was then certified by College officers (known as an admittatur) and have a parent or guardian provide a bond to the College Steward for the student's future expenses. Classes began in the middle of August, and until 1769, in the spring semester of the Class's freshman year, the Faculty created a permanent seniority ranking of the students and recorded it in the Faculty Minutes with the student information collected on the admission lists.
Arrangement
The records are arranged in chronological order.
Acquisition information
The documents in this collection are University records and were acquired in the course of University business.
Online access
All of the records have been digitized and are available online. Links accompany detailed descriptions.
References
- Morison, Samuel Eliot. Three Centuries of Harvard, 1636-1936. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1936.
General note
This document last updated 2018 November 26.
Processing Information
The material was first classified and described in the Harvard University Archives shelflist prior to 1980. The collection was previously classified as part of the records of the Harvard University Corporation. The material was re-processed in 2011. Re-processing involved a collection survey, re-housing in appropriate archival folders and boxes, and the creation of this finding aid.
This finding aid was created by Diann Benti in August 2011.
Preservation and description of the Admission lists was supported by the Arcadia-funded project Harvard in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.
Creator
- Harvard College (1636-1780) (Organization)
- Title
- Harvard College admission lists, 1743-1764: an inventory
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hua47011
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu