The gathering included President Eliot, the sculptor French, and Samuel J. Bridge, donor of the statue, who had received an honorary degree in 1880. The statue reportedly cost over $20,000.

Ellis ended his address, with an admonition that "the ideal can never transcend the real." He added that if a portrait of John Harvard were to come to light, despite Harvard's "chronic poverty" the statue would be melted down and recast. The crowd then watched the unveiling and, according to accounts in The Crimson, "gave three cheers apiece for John Harvard, Mr. Bridge and Mr. French."

Few students today may observe that the statue has a small mustache which French probably added since Hoar, the model, also had one.

The statue originally rested in the "Delta" in front of Memorial hall, but French did not like the location and requested that it be moved to its present location, which was carried out 60 years ago in April, 1924. The current issue of Harvard Magazine shows a picture of the move in progress.

The Delta used to be the site of "turkey shooting"--a rather arcane pastime involving actual shooting of the fowl--and other popular games.

Vandalism

No sooner was the statue in place than vandalism began. On November 15, 1884, just a month later. The Crimson reported that "some one disfigured the Chapel and the statue by painting in large letters on them the class name of '87." The account continues, "We know that it is a human failing to encourage anything, however silly, that is done in defiance of authority; but Harvard men have hitherto been free from this failing in its extreme form. This last performance, however, equals the best feats of silliness on record."

Another, larger defacement occurred after Harvard won a cricket match against Yale and claimed the Mott Haven cup. Red paint, in what' was termed "deplorable vandalism," was daubed all over monuments in the Yard.

The Crimson stated, "that outrages such as these could have been committed by any responsible Harvard man we think extremely unlikely...." and an editorial called for, "first of all, the culprits should be hunted up and be made to leave college. Harvard has no place for such vandals as they."

More recently, the 1960s featured decoration with protest banners, with paint becoming a leading instrument of destruction. A recent observer reported decoration with banana peels.

"Some years ago some students painted it red and our cops caught them red-handed," said Deputy Chief of Police Jack W. Morse. "I've been waiting a long time to use that," he added.

Physically, the statue has seen some hard times. It has been painted blue by Yalies, green by Dartmouth students and has been through a hundred chilling frosts and searing summers.

Acid Rain

To protect the bronze from the dissolving effects of acid rain and to make cleaning easy, the statue receives regular coats of brown beeswax, according to Facilities Maintenance supervisor James F. Caruso.

The granite base is also coated with wax and needs little maintenance, according to Arthur Beale, Fogg Museum director of conservation Beale says that unlike marble, granite is resistant to acid rain and the elements.