The Playful Antiquarian

Harvard library staff humor, ca. 1948

March 18th, 2004

Browsing through Harvard library staff newsletters from the 1940s and 1950s, I came across this little bit of staff humor yesterday: “No-school report, by Radio // ‘No school all schools all day / In Harvard–the town not the college;’ / For weather cannot stay / The Harvardman in search of knowledge.”It was without any attribution in the February 1948 issue of The Library Scene (issued by the Harvard Library Club). I am assuming it was (or perhaps, is) well-known local humor. Does anybody know the source of this? I am terribly curious about it, so please comment if you do.

At any rate, it was oddly apropos for this week. Although, after six years of calling the “snow line” in vain and slogging through ice and snow to get to school and/or work, I have given up on ever having a snow day, I still get needlessly excited when I see the Harvard [Public Schools] listing on the school closing list.

Entry Filed under: Personal Miscellany, Playful Reading