indy special SUPERLATIVE
SONG MATCHUP
Most Arrogantly Exclusive Don’t eat in Adams. They will eat you.
Beautiful by Akon
DRINK MATCHUP
MOVIE MATCHUP
Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon 1 glass Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon Hold plastic wine glass with pinky up. Sip pretentiously.
Maid of Honor Below that exterior that boasts pretentiousness, there's a heart after all.
DESIDERATA
R
andolph Hall (D-I entries), Westmorly Court (A and B entries), and Claverly Hall were all built as Gold Coast dormitories. The Gold Coast dorms were constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to provide rich Harvard men an alternative to the antiquated Yard dormitories, which then lacked running water, steam heat, electric light, and indoor bathrooms.
FROM THE HOCO
NOTABLE ALUMS Franklin Roosevelt, 32nd US President Buckminster Fuller, inventor/philosopher/hopeless utopian Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State for the Nixon administration Chuck Schumer, Senator (D), New York John Lithgow, actor Andy Borowitz, co-creator, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Amy Brenneman, actress
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arts@harvardindependent.com
THE BASICS Perks: Of the River Houses, Adams is the closest to the Yard, so freshmen who aren't used to long walks will never have to acclimate. Before randomization, Adams was known as the "bohemian," "artsy" House, and the bohemian aura still clings to Adams, and is memorialized in events such as Drag Night and in features like the Bow and Arrow Press--a mechanical printing press used now mostly for broadsides and artwork, but that back in the day was used to produce revolutionary manifestos and the like. The Molotov Cafe provides a late-night hangout, and the Master's Residence, Apthorp House, has frequent teas and other events. Yearly events include Drag Night, Winter Feast, black-tie readings of Winnie the Pooh, Winter Waltz, and Spring Swing. Dining Hall: Adams' strict inter-house restrictions, the bane of freshmen and upperclassmen looking for a quick bite between classes, will become your friend if you're lotteried into Adams House. Despite Adams' central location, it is usually not too over-crowded. The dining hall staff is known for letting students in a little late, sometimes even pulling food back out of the freezer. Musicians often use the piano in the room to entertain diners, adding a touch of class. Sophomore Housing: Sophomore housing is reportedly generous at Adams House. Sophomores often end up in large "party suite" triples, or in Claverly. Expect "n" rooms for "n" people. Will Skinner, Adams House senior, reported that, "The square footage is two times as big as Kirkland's." Drawbacks: You'll get less exercise from walking, and you won't see as many of your friends from other Houses coming to the dining hall. But overall Adams is one of the most popular Houses and usually ranks high on freshman wish lists.
ADAMS
W
ell known in times past as artistic and individual, Adams is one of the few Houses that has managed to retain its old reputation with the advent of the random lottery. Adams was the hotbed of the protests during the Vietnam Era and continues to be a beacon of freedom and the physical center of undergraduate life on the campus. Described during its recent 75th Anniversary as a “den of sin and moral corruption” by Rev. Peter Gomes, Adams hosts a variety of events that display its decadent and debauched nature. Drag Night is always popular and comes just before the sex-infused Sweet and Nasty Dance. When asked what they love most about the House, residents offer a variety of answers: the pool-turned-theater, the walls made of 24 karat gold, the luxurious and opulent accommodations, and the extra hours of sleep they get as a result of living so close to the Yard and classes. Perhaps it is also this extra sleep that allows Adams residents to have, according to John G. Palfrey ’67, “more and better sex” than the other Houses. In addition to its possession of the only golden cupola on campus, Adams House is known for its gong, the target of all other Houses’ envy. And if you’re lucky enough to live in Adams, rejoice because you have access to the most exclusive club on campus: the Adams Dining Hall.
03.19.09 s The Harvard Independent