MovieChat Forums > Father's Little Dividend (1951) Discussion > Harvard class of 1973

Harvard class of 1973

posted 16 years ago by hobnob53
12 replies | jump to latest

I love the fact that Grandpa Dunstan had already enrolled his as-yet-unborn grandchild in the Harvard class of 1973, as he casually but a bit smugly informs Grandpa Banks when the latter sees the Harvard banner tacked up in the child's bedroom so that he could "get used to it". (Of course, both men were certain the child would be a "he".)

I guess no one had to worry about SATs, high school grades, or other such bothersome criteria in gaining admission to the nation's most prestigeous university in 1951, or, prospectively, in far-off 1973.

It's also pretty rare, and interesting, to hear a film from any era mention a specific year decades ahead of its time.

[–] Fleur_de_lis 16 years ago

You're right of course, but most of the loan programs for education that made admissions widely competitive were not available at the time that this film took place. So you knew at birth whether your child could afford to enroll.

[–] hobnob53 16 years ago

That's true, but I wasn't thinking of money so much as I was that the university apparently simply accepted an enrollment for a kid -- I guess he'd be a legacy -- two decades before he'd enter the school -- even before he was born, had a name, or his/her sex was known!

I never knew Harvard was so accommodating!

I assume Grandpa Dunstan was forking over lots of contributions to his alma mater to make sure baby D's enrollment was secured during those long decades ahead. Wonder if the kid became an anti-war protester in Cambridge during Nam? Gramps would be spinning in his grave.

[–] Fleur_de_lis 16 years ago

Definitely antiquated, but it was actually a common practice at many schools. There were fewer schools, and people tended to follow family members into the same schools. Watch the Apted "Up" series of films if you have a chance and find this subject interesting. There is an interesting sequence where he asks the little kids about where they will go to school.

[–] hobnob53 16 years ago

Yes, you're right, and I've seen some of the "Up" series, and vaguely recall that portion.

In an era when higher education was still for a distinct minority of young people (though this would change rapidly in the 50s and 60s) it was not uncommon to have such "pre-arrangements" for a kid's university enrollment. For example, sixty years ago there apparently wasn't any such thing as LSATs, so many aspiring law students had a "preceptor" who would in effect sponsor them for law school, certainly a lot easier than today's set-up. So I assume, as I noted before, that little Stanley Banks Dunstan would be considered a legacy as far as Harvard was concerned, and he'd get in without a problem...even if he turned out to be an idiot.

Which also poses the question -- where did Buckley go to college? I assume his old man must have also helped him get into Hahvahd.

[–] taylorje 13 years ago

Ironic that by 1973, both actors were long dead. Spencer Tracy died in 1967 and "Grandpa Dunstan" died only a few years after this movie was made.

[–] hobnob53 13 years ago

Yes, neither would have lived to see baby Dunstan even enter Harvard. ("Grandpa Dunstan" was played by Moroni Olsen, who died just three years after this film, in 1954.)

On the other hand, both "grandmas" would have lived to see the kid enter Harvard, though only one would see him graduate. Mrs. Banks (Joan Bennett) died in 1990, while the elder Mrs. Dunstan (Billie Burke) died in 1970 -- just long enough to see her grandson in his first year (1969-70) at college.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hobnob53 12 years ago

I don't think you've really understood the thrust of the thread.

The only point was that Grandpa Dunston was able to arrange for his as-yet-unborn grandchild to enter Harvard 18 years ahead of time. In fact, such a thing was once possible, before SATs and the like came into being. In 1951, making such an arrangement would still have been possible, especially if (as seems to have been the case) Dunstan was an alumnus in good standing and a sizable donor to the university. Back then, such things did indeed happen, and so what Dunstan did was entirely believable.

Today, a connection like that would be a big boost in getting admitted, but no one would be guaranteed a spot, especially not 18 years ahead of time.

I don't get your analogy to JFK Jr. For undergraduate studies (which is what we're talking about with baby Dunstan), JFK Jr. went to Brown, not Harvard. No university admits someone to college in anticipation of being admitted to the bar, which is irrelevant and anyway would be at least seven years in the future.

I think JFK Jr. did go to Harvard Law School. (I don't absolutely remember, but it's not too important for our purposes.) But a law school doesn't admit anyone in "anticipation" of his being admitted the bar, three years away. That's not even an issue at that point. They might give more consideration to a "legacy" but not a guarantee of admission, and whether the person might eventually pass the bar is not even a consideration.

By the way, you're mistaken: JFK Jr. was admitted to the NY bar, on his third attempt. He didn't really want to go into law but did so at his mother's insistence. But after being admitted he served in the New York County DA's office only a few months before quitting and going into publishing with his now-defunct magazine George.

[–] karmala2 11 years ago

Baby Dunstan, could be one of the students in "The Paper Chase"!

"I told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes"!

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

That's very funny, and actually your timing is perfect. Of course, The Paper Chase is set at Harvard law, not the undergraduate portion of the university that Baby D. was enrolled in. But assuming he graduated on schedule, in June 1973, and been accepted by the law school, he would have started his classes that fall...which is the year TPC came out!

Can't you see John Houseman glaring up at him in the auditorium as he called out: "Mistahhhhh -- Dunstan!"

[–] karmala2 11 years ago

"Can't you see John Houseman glaring up at him in the auditorium as he called out: "Mistahhhhh -- Dunstan!"

Yep! Vividly. But, yes, I didn't think about the undergraduate aspect, but STILL fun to think of when viewing "FLD"-that little Baby D. could be an afro-ed (a la John Rubenstein, bell-bottomed 70's student.

"I told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes"!

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

A long-haired, bell-bottomed baby D. Oh my God. I bet his parents would probably have been happy that both grandfathers hadn't lived to see that sight!

I'm sure neither Stan nor Herb could have remotely imagined in 1951 what 1973 would bring, socially or sartorially. Let's just say it's a good thing Grandpa Dunstan wasn't a graduate of Kent State.

Although I guess there's always the chance the kid might have OD'ed along the way, or gone off to a commune, or fled to Canada to avoid the draft; or on the other hand, turned out "straight", gone to 'Nam and been a Young Republican.

Baby Dunstan: Flower child at Woodstock in '69? Or summer intern at CREEP in '72?

So many sequels! So much jail time!