FROM THE HOCO
Above the banks of the glistening Charles, stand the two impervious towers of Leverett House, complimenting the beautiful brick of McKinlock. For anyone who thinks otherwise, size does matter and Leverett is proud to be the biggest (and best) house on campus. We are thrilled to have the Rising Rabbits join our proliferating population! Aside from its prime waterfront location and its sheer magnitude, there are a few particulars about Leverett that set it apart from other houses. First is our housemaster’s (also known as Chief) beard, which will be shaved upon dominating the other houses in intramural sports and winning the Straus Cup. Second is the dining hall. Aside from the wonderful staff and satisfying food, the dining hall is a beacon of academic and social life. Look forward to the 80s dance (which will take place in the dining hall), replete with pop-rocks and Madonna (need I say more?). Finally and perhaps most important are the people — masters, tutors, staff and students. Despite our size, Leverett is a tight knit community that has much to offer. We are excited to welcome the incoming sophomores this Thursday!
THE BASICS
Dining Hall
Leverett House Dining Hall is all-purpose. From chatting with friends over breakfast, lunch, and dinner to finishing up a lengthy problem set late Thursday night, the dining hall encapsulates the upperclassmen experience. Nested in McKinlock Hall, a.k.a. Old Leverett, the dining hall is filled with light-colored chairs and tables under vaulted ceilings and dark green curtains. A raised platform at the end of the dining hall provides ample space for performances and other special events held in Leverett each year. Aside from the spacious seating area, Leverett’s cheerful Dining Hall Manager and staff complement the House’s above average food selection.
Sophomore Housing
Rising sophomore housing in Leverett begins with the Housing Lottery in late spring, after the current sophomores and juniors have selected their rooms for the subsequent year. Students form rooming groups within the House and enter the lottery in formations most often ranging from doubles to quints. Groups choose room arrangements on an all-day “room pick” day according to the highest lottery number assigned to a member of their rooming group. With luck, sophomores may grab the remaining spacious rooms in Leverett Towers, although most often they are relegated to the smaller and less attractive rooms passed over by upperclassmen.
Perks
Despite the unpredictability of sophomore housing, Leverett House has its perks. The 80s Dance is a classic House tradition, inviting headbands and leg warmers to the dining hall two nights of the year. Masters’ Open Houses are a more tame form of house entertainment, as students chat with Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Howard Georgi over “monkey bread,” Leverett’s mascot snack. Overall, though, Leverett’s keen House spirit, friendly staff, and above par facilities makes this house a home for your three remaining Harvard years.
— Edward Chen ’09
LITERARY MATCHUP
J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers
In Tolkien’s The Two Towers, the surviving members of the Fellowship of the Ring continue in their quest to destroy the Ring of Power while confronting the army of the evil wizard Saruman. You probably won’t face Orcs and Uruk-hai when crossing the courtyard between Leverett Towers, but the House Masters’ multiple dogs ensure that the lawn contains equally foul dangers.
NOTABLE ALUMS
John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court
Pete Seeger, folk singer/songwriter
Al Jean, Executive Producer, The Simpsons
X-MEN MATCHUP
Juggernaut
Only the largest X-Man for the largest house. Like Juggernaut, Leverett is big, unstoppable, and a force to be reckoned with. There may not be much to Juggernaut besides his size and strength, but that’s certainly nothing to complain about.