Once Rigid Rules for Sabbath-Keeping at Harvard

1916

OLD TIME SUNDAY LAWS.

Rigid Rules For Harvard Students Two Centuries Ago.

In "The Story of Harvard" Mr. Arthur Stanwood Pier gives an account of the strict regulations formerly set down for the guidance of the Harvard undergraduates by the president and the fellows of the corporation. The old laws, intended to enforce upon the undergraduates a more religious and studious life, would be considered repressive and tyrannical today.

"All the scholars shall at sunset in the evening preceding the Lord's day retire to their chambers and not unnecessarily leave them, and all disorder on said evening shall be punished as violations of the Sabbath are. * * * And whosoever shall profane said day — the Sabbath — by unnecessary business or visiting, walking in the commons or in the streets or fields, in the town of Cambridge, or by any sort of diversion before sunset, or that in the evening of the Lord's day shall behave himself disorderly or in any way unbecoming the season, shall be fined not exceeding 10 shillings.

"That students may furnish themselves with useful learning, they shall keep in their respective chambers and diligently follow their studies, except half an hour at breakfast, at dinner for from 12 to 2 and after evening prayers till after 9 of the clock. To that end the tutors shall frequently visit their chambers after 9 o'clock in the evening and at other studying times, to quicken them to their business."

It does not seem that under such a system of vigilance and visitation the students could fall into very dissolute ways. But a few years later George Whitefield, the famous evangelist who so stirred up New England, visited Harvard college and expressed his displeasure at the dissipated habits of the young men. He declared conditions at Oxford were no worse, a charge so damaging that it greatly disturbed and incensed the college authorities.