Photoessay #1014 - Harold at Harvard

A few weeks ago, my aunt Elgie gave me a large volume "The Harvard Class Album 1920". A real challenge to fit it into the suitcase. She's moving from her large multi-family house in Newton Center to a condo across the street (good move)

My grandfather Harold Joseph Ginsburgh was a member of the class of 1920 at Harvard. It remained his most important affiliation throughout his life. He identified himself as a Harvard Man, first and foremost. From a family of modest means, not sure of his father's profession (Jacob Lester), a printer, maybe a Pullman conductor, Harold attended the University of Rochester for two years. He then won a scholarship from the Harvard Club of Rochester (confirmed here) to attend Harvard. Price Greenleaf Aid was also a scholarship. Detur is an academic prize dating back to the 17th century, still given. The Menorah Society, active from 1911 to the late 1920s advocated the inclusion of Jewish subjects into the collegiate curriculum. My father also belonged to Tau Epsilon Phi, the fraternity accepting of non WASP men.

The youngest picture I've EVER seen of my grandfather. He always had this timeless look about him, you couldn't tell his age from his photo. But this one seems completely different. This young man courted my grandmother while he attended Harvard. So interesting to compare him with his son at the same age. I look at this picture and wonder if I know this man. I was very close to my grandfather (his favorite) but I'm finding it hard to recognize....