Word: summas
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...SUMMA CUM laude degree looks impressive in a Who's Who listing, although this academic distinction is awarded no more prominence than its somewhat less impressive little brothers magna and cum. But in the Harvard academic family, the summas command the most respect, and when the family gets together for its annual commencement gathering, the summas--not the magnas and the cums--will garner the most praise...
...after the summa graduates receive the pat on the head from Mother Harvard and move out into the real world (some eventually returning to the University as professors to procreate more summas), they run into other summas and spend a night or two over a few drinks recalling the good old college days...
WHAT ALL THIS means is that each department grants its honors in its own way, so it is not only difficult to understand why one particular student received a summa and another a magna, but is impossible to equate a summa in one department with a summa in another department...
Last year, History of Science awarded six summas, one magna plus, and 11 magnas to a graduating class of 28. Similarly, in 1972 Social Studies awarded six summas, no magna pluses, and 18 magnas to a class of 44. The same year, History and Literature awarded one summa, no magna pluses, and 19 magnas to a class...
...unusual year. Today, two History and Sciences seniors will get summa, and four History and Lit graduates will leave Harvard with summas. So, the system fluctuates, and every up and down on the honors seismograph is carefully watched by honors-conscious seniors. But it appears that in the honors departments, no set standard exists that dictates how many will receive honors each year...