Journal of College Disorders, 1788-1797

This journal contains entries about various student "disorders" which occurred during Eliphalet Pearson’s tenure at Harvard. Daily entries describe a wide range of students’ rebellious conduct, which included: hissing at speakers in chapel, throwing snowballs and stones at College buildings and people (including tutors and then-President Joseph Willard), disrupting lectures by scraping chairs and feet, breaking windows, intoxication, moving and breaking furniture, stealing firewood, firing pistols, building bonfires, stealing supplies (food, cider and candles), throwing food and utensils during meals, stealing Bibles, wearing hats indoors, filling door locks with stones, drawing on lecture room walls with gravel, and silencing the morning chapel bell by filling it with molten pewter plates (stolen from the kitchen). There are also entries pertaining to more malicious offenses, including the drowning of a dog in a well. Several entries describe meetings of the College government to determine the appropriate punishments for each offense. Students were often fined, expelled, or suspended ("rusticated") for their unruly behavior.

Parish tax, 1797

Small printed leaf containing the Cambridge parish tax list for Eliphalet Pearson for June 1797.

1797, Catalogus eorum qui in Universitate Harvardiana, Cantabrigiae, in republica Massachusettensi, ab anno MDCXLII, ad annum MDCCXCVII, alicujus gradû laureâ donati sunt.

Minimal annotations for the years 1728 through 1732, noting residences for seven names and a footnote that James Pitt (AB 1731) "married Gov. Bowdoin's sister, [mat. in Boston]." From 1759 onward, there are handwritten asterisks next to the names of alumni who died after the Catalogue's publication through the mid 1810s. For the years 1781 and 1782, a "P" appears to mark members of Phi Beta Kappa. Pages unattached.

1797, Catalogus eorum qui in Universitate Harvardiana, Cantabrigiae, in republica Massachusettensi, ab anno MDCXLII, ad annum MDCCXCVII, alicujus gradû laureâ donati sunt.

"Interleaved Catalogue of 1797"--handwritten title on flyleaf. Interleaved Catalogue in hardcover binding, with numbers next to the printed names matching biographical notes on interleaved pages for every class from 1642 through the first four listed members of the Class of 1726; there are no annotations for subsequent classes.

Memorial of the President and Fellows of Harvard College to the General Court for the enlargement of their power to hold real estate. Copy, [1797 July 15]

Four folio-sized leaves containing a handwritten copy of a petition to the Massachusetts General Court from the Harvard Corporation requesting the College's amount of tax exempt real estate be enlarged.

Repairs of Houses in Cambridge from June 1797 to 1799, [1799 June 1]

Fragment of one leaf with handwritten accounting figures for the costs of repairs on Cambridge houses to June 1, 1799. The total sum on the document is included as a note at the bottom of the Treasurer's account.

Method of preventing disorders at chapel, church &c., 1797 November 25

Three-page draft of a report presented to the "executive government" of Harvard College by the "committee appointed to prepare a plan for the suppression of certain disorders during the public services in the chapel & in the meeting house."

Address to the students in general, 1797 March 13

Handwritten copy of an address by Eliphalet Pearson made "in ye middle of public lecture 13 Mh. 1797, in consequence of repeated scrapings, shuffling, & thumping with various other noises; all which appeared to be confined to the freshmen."

Exhortation read to 27 of the Sophomore class, 1797 July 1

9-page handwritten copy of an address by Eliphalet Pearson read to twenty-seven members of the sophomore class after an incident on June 27, 1797 in which "in direct violation of College law a majority of the sophomore class repaired to the house of Richard Boardman in this town; that they did then & there indulge to a free use of wine" that incited them to drunkenly parade through town and disturb the evening church services of the College.

Quarter bills, 1797

Four printed quarter bills for Loammi Baldwin dated February 23, 1797, May 25, 1797, August 24, 1797, and November 23, 1797.

L.B.'s letter respecting excuse to president of College, 1797 August 31

Brief handwritten note to Loammi Baldwin from his son requesting a written excuse to be sent to the Harvard President for his absence on election day.