Printing at 19th Century Harvard: A Vignette (Archaeological Find)
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Title:
Printing at 19th Century Harvard: A Vignette
Subject:
16 October 1889
George stumbled, and caught himself—and his freight. President Eliot had consolidated printing in the basement of the University Hall (Hall 10). A new print shop needed a press, and a press needed type. The type had to be moved from its previous location. So—here was George, stumbling between the elms on his way from Wadsworth to University Hall, two hundred yards northeast (Hall 9).
Box after box of type had to be transported carefully—the small lead type could escape the loose joinery of the wooden box. The job fell to George—and three co-conspirators—thanks to some inadmissible revelry at the Dartmouth game the weekend prior (1889). Normally, President Eliot would have let the delinquency slide—he encouraged the boys’ “llllllliberty,” rolling the “l” in Brahmin accent—but they timed their stunt to be of perfect help to the University (Kuehnemann).
George minded, however, his afternoon being stripped from him. He was going to smoke with his roommate, and now that looked unlikely. His written Greek examination was tomorrow, too—though only a passing thought. He’d already seen it, anyway, thanks to the service of the college printer (Schoenberg). He was prepared.
It was this thought, though, that caused the trip, stagger, and balancing of the type. Catching himself, he turned to check for fallen pieces. But then, they were holding the door ahead, and George really just wanted to regain his rightful “lllllllliberty.” He turned back and strode towards the grey façade of University Hall.
Creator:
Colin Criss
Source:
Bibliography
Hall, Max.
1986 Harvard University Press: A History. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
“1889 Harvard Football Schedule” Webpage, http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/fball/1889-90/Schedule, accessed May 3rd, 2017.
Schoenberg, Robert.
1954 University Press Maintains 40-Year Standards Despite Confusion With Poster, Exam Printers. The Harvard Crimson, February 3rd, 1954. Accessed online: May 3rd, 2017, http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1954/2/3/university-press-maintains-40-year-standards-despite/.
Kuehnemann, Eugen.
2013 Charles W. Eliot, President of Harvard University (May 19, 1869-May 19, 1909). Read Books Ltd.
Object Name:
19th Century Metal Print Type
Inventory Description:
No letter visible on end, one notch in side, moderately oxidized.
Peabody Number:
2016.29.126
Culture/Period:
19th Century
Intrasite:
H939 Level 2
Depth:
53-71cm
Class 1:
Metal
Class 2:
Miscellaneous
Class 3:
Type
Quantity:
1
Height (cm):
2.5
Width (cm):
.4
Depth/Thickness (cm):
.2