1650 Charter of Harvard College, Illuminated Academic Mandate, Essential, Interconnected.
“Whereas through the good hand of God many well devoted persons have been and daily are moved and stirred up to give and bestow sundry gifts legacies lands and revenues for the advancement of all good literature arts and sciences in Harvard College in Cambridge in the County of Middlesex and to the maintenance of the President and Fellows and for all accommodations of buildings and all other necessary provisions that may conduce to the education of the English and Indian youth of this country in knowledge and godliness. It is therefore ordered and enacted by this Court and the authority thereof that for the furthering of so good a work and for the purposes aforesaid from henceforth that the said College in Cambridge in Middlesex in New England shall be a Corporation consisting of seven persons (to wit) a President five Fellows and a Treasurer or Bursar and that Henry Dunster shall be the first President Samuel Mather Samuel Danforth Masters of Arts Jonathan Mitchell Comfort Starr and Samuel Eaton Bachelors of Arts shall be the five Fellows and Thomas Danforth to be present Treasurer all of them being inhabitants in the Bay and shall be the first seven persons of which the said Corporation shall consist And that the said seven persons or the greater number of them procuring the presence of the Overseers of the College and by their counsel and consent shall have power and are hereby authorized at any time or times to elect a new President Fellows or Treasurer so oft and from time to time as any of the said person or persons shall die or be removed which said President and Fellows for the time being shall for ever hereafter in name and fact be one body politic and corporate in law to all intents and purposes and shall have perpetual succession And shall be called by the name of President and Fellows of Harvard College And shall from time to time be eligible as aforesaid. And by that name they and their successors shall and may purchase and acquire to themselves or take and receive upon free-gift and donation any lands tenements or hereditaments within this jurisdiction of the Massachusetts not exceeding the value of five hundred pounds per annum and any goods and sums of money whatsoever to the use and behoof of the said President Fellows and scholars of the said College and also may sue and plead or be sued and impleaded by the name aforesaid in all Courts and places of judicature within the jurisdiction aforesaid and that the said President with any three of the Fellows shall have power and are hereby authorized when they shall think fit to make and appoint a common seal for the use of the said Corporation. And the President and Fellows or the major part of them from time to time may meet and choose such officers and servants for the College and make such allowance to them and them also to remove and after death or removal to choose such others and to make from time to time such orders and by-laws for the better ordering and carrying on the work of the College as they shall think fit. Provided the said orders be allowed by the Overseers. And also that the President and Fellows or major part of them with the Treasurer shall have power to make conclusive bargains for lands and tenements to be purchased by the said Corporation for valuable considerations. And for the better ordering of the government of the said College and Corporation be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that the President and three more of the Fellows shall and may from time to time upon due warning or notice given by the President to the rest hold a meeting for the debating and concluding of affairs concerning the profits and revenues of any lands and disposing of their goods. Provided that all the said disposings be according to the will of the donors. And for direction in all emergent occasions execution of all orders and by-laws and for the procuring of a general meeting of all the Overseers and society in great and difficult cases and in cases of non-agreement. In all which cases aforesaid the conclusion shall be made by the major part the said President having a casting voice the Overseers consenting thereunto. And that all the aforesaid transactions shall tend to and for the use and behoof of the President Fellows scholars and officers of the said College and for all accommodations of buildings books and all other necessary provisions and furnitures as may be for the advancement and education of youth in all manner of good literature arts and sciences. And further be it ordered by this Court and the authority thereof that all the lands tenements or hereditaments houses or revenues within this jurisdiction to the aforesaid President or College appertaining not exceeding the value of five hundred pounds per annum shall from henceforth be freed from all civil impositions taxes and rates all goods to the said corporation or to any scholars thereof appertaining shall be exempted from all manner of toll customs and excise whatsoever. And that the said President Fellows and scholars together with the servants and other necessary officers to the said President or College appertaining not exceeding ten, viz. three to the President and seven to the College belonging shall be exempted from all personal civil offices military exercises or services watchings and wardings and such of their estates not exceeding one hundred pounds a man shall be free from all country taxes or rates whatsoever and none others.
In witness whereof the Court hath caused the seal of the colony to be hereunto affixed. Dated the one and thirtieth day of the third month called May. Anno 1650.
THOMAS DUDLEY Governor.”
~ The Charter of the President & Fellows of Harvard College, May 31 (1650)
J. D. Burton’s piece examines the Early Generations of Harvard Tutors (1690-1770). It is an Excellent Supplement to better orient oneself with how this educational profession came to be, developed & then shaped up over time in its early years.
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