Eliot Shield, Traditions, and Legacy

 

Eliot House Shield:

Please feel free to use this PNG file or email us for the vector file.

The hexadecimal code for the crimson in the shield is AA0700 and the hexadecimal code for the blue in the shield is 2645A5

Quick Facts:

  • Eliot residents are called Eliotites.
  • Eliot House was opened in 1931 and is named after Charles William Eliot.
  • Floreat Domus de Eliot: May Eliot House Flourish
  • Harvard Gazette Video Series: A Look inside: Eliot House

Traditions

Before Harvard opted to use a lottery system to assign residences to upperclassmen (beginning with the class of 1999), Eliot was known as a 'prep' house, providing accommodation to the university's social elite, and being known as "more Harvard than Harvard". Describing Eliot House in the late 1950s and early 1960s, author Alston Chase wrote, "[A]lthough most Harvard houses in those days reflected the values of Boston Brahmin society … Eliot was more extreme". The random assignment to houses has been in effect now for 25 years, so there is no longer a concentration of the monied elite in any Harvard house. Some traditions of Eliot House are the annual Spring Fete, the Eliot Boat Club (an intramural crew team), formal dinners such as the Charles Eliot Dinner, and a strong sense of house pride. The motto 'Floreat Domus de Eliot' and 'Domus' are traditional chants, particularly on Housing Day, when freshman find out their housing assignments.

Notable Alumni:

Notable former residents of the house include:

In 1951, roommates of Eliot House A-12 included Paul Matisse, grandson of French impressionist Henri MatisseStephen Joyce, grandson of novelist James Joyce, and Sadruddin Aga Khan, lineal descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. This caused master John Finley to brag to the New York Times, "where else would you find, in one room, the grandson of Matisse, the grandson of Joyce, and the great-great-great-great-grandson of God?"[12]

Movie appearances

Eliot's prominent belltower is featured in many films, including two screen shots in Old SchoolLegally BlondeChasing Liberty; and Euro Trip, which features the tower at the end of the film, incorrectly identifying it as Oberlin College. Eliot House is also featured prominently in Love Story and The Social Network.

From Wikipedia:

Eliot House Song

We were freshmen when we heard the news,

Mark well what I do say,
We were freshmen when we heard the news,
The lottery we didn’t lose.
We packed our bags and made our way to Eliot House.

To Eliot, to Eliot, we raise a glass & sing a song.
By river’s side our hearts are tied to Eliot House.

In sophomore year we made good friends,
Mark well what I do say,
In sophomore year we made good friends;
Our happy times would see no end.
On cloudy days the sun shined bright on Eliot House.

To Eliot, to Eliot, we raise a glass & sing a song.
By river’s side our hearts are tied to Eliot House.

As juniors we all studied hard,
Mark well what I do say,
As juniors we all studied hard;
We lugged our books to Harvard Yard.
Old Kirkland’s stars will never rise ’bove Eliot House.

To Eliot, to Eliot, we raise a glass & sing a song.
By river’s side our hearts are tied to Eliot House.

As seniors we all shed a tear,
Mark well what I do say,
As seniors we all shed a tear
’Cause this would be our final year
For skating, stein club, and The Fête at Eliot House.

To Eliot, to Eliot, we raise a glass & sing a song.
By river’s side our hearts are tied to Eliot House.

And then into the world we go,
Mark well what I do say,
And then into the world we go,
Our Eliot pride well always show.
We know our love will only grow for Eliot House.

To Eliot! To Eliot! We raise a glass & sing a song.
By river’s side our hearts are tied to Eliot House!

© 2003 Andrew B. Pacelli, Alex M. Berenberg,
& Alexander S. Ness. All rights reserved.

Typesetting by Jacob Rus.