About the year 1880 there came a need at Harvard for a new social system. The old regime in which the class was the unit, consisted of several societies, the members of which were taken from but one class. Until 1880 the Senior class had been compact enough to act as the controlling body in undergraduate life. But in the years from 1850 to 1880, the classes had been increasing in size, until it became no longer possible for a man to be acquainted with all his classmates. At the same time another cause, the growth of the elective system, combined with this to break down all class distinctions. Not only were the classes too large to have any unity, but the destruction of all scholastic barriers between the classes struck a blow at the system on which the class societies were based. The direct outcome of this was the formation of a number of clubs which took in members from every class, the indirect outcome was the loss of the unity of the University, and a marked decadence in athletics.

In 1879 James B. Ludlow '81, on a visit to Oxford, was entertained at the Oxford Union. The success of this club seemed to him to point to the remedy for existing conditions at Harvard, and on his return to Cambridge he instigated, through the existing college periodicals, a movement for a Harvard University Club. The idea met with general favor, and on March 26, 1880, the Harvard Union was formed. The first officers were: President, W. R. Thayer '81; vice-president, J. G. Thorp '79; secretary, I. N. Panin '82; treasurer, C. G. Washburn '80; committee, F. Warren '82 and G. C. Van Benthuysen '82. This Harvard Union was in no way connected with the Union of 1832, which had died a natural death, but was a distinct organization.

Its object was that of a University Club--to pull the University together. In order to give some definite interest to the club, it was decided to organize it as a debating club. This specialization of one particular interest proved fatal to the plan of uniting the college, for after the original founders had graduated, their purpose was forgotten, and the Harvard Union lasted as a debating club only, until its name was changed to the University Debating Club.

The original founders however realized the importance of this plan for bringing unity into social life at Harvard, and they organized a committee of graduates to provide if possible for a building for the University Club. Interest in their project reached its height in 1895 and plans were made for a general canvass to raise $200,000 from Harvard men. But owing to the financial crisis of 1896, the committee reluctantly gave up their plan, appealing to individual graduates to give the necessary funds. In 1898 it was suggested that the University Club should be given as a memorial to the Harvard men killed in the Spanish war, and this gave a renewed impetus to the plan. The University Club Committee and the Memorial Committee united in an expression of opinion that the best memorial to Harvard's soldiers would be a building for all Harvard students. On November 3, 1890, the gift by major H. L. Higginson of $150,000 for a University Club was announced. The offer by the Corporation of the site on the corner of Quincy and Harvard streets made Major Higginson's gift immediately applicable.