Rinehart (Harvard)
A spontaneous Harvard cry that echoed for forty years.
The cry of "Rinehart!" (often heard as "Oh, R-i-i-i-n-e-HART!") was a spontaneous student call that became a lasting tradition among Harvard University students and alumni in the early 20th century. It originated from an unknown undergraduate calling for John Bryce Gordon Rinehart across Harvard Yard, and was taken up by hundreds of others. For decades, the cry could be heard at Harvard events and wherever Harvard men gathered worldwide.
Quick Facts
- Subject
- John Bryce Gordon Rinehart
- Harvard class
- 1900
- First occurrence
- June 11, 1900
- Notable reference
- 1939 film The Great Man Votes (John Barrymore)
- Song
- "Harvard Blues" (1932, George Frazier; music by Tab Smith; recorded 1941 by Count Basie)
Facts from the source article.
Origin
The original target of the call is now considered established as James Bryce Gordon Rinehart, Harvard class of 1900. A contemporary piece in the Harvard Crimson added details about the incident. As the origin faded from memory, various false origin stories circulated, including one that Rinehart hired other students to call his name to appear more popular. These stories were collected, and a new one suggested, by Gordon Allport in a prize-winning undergraduate essay.
More in Traditions by University Or College in the United States
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