While serving as Harvard’s 24th President, Nathan Pusey remarked that the class of 1971 was “the worst class in the history of Harvard.” Yes. Radical transformation did occur in the years 1967-1971. Changes for which the Old Guard was woefully ill-prepared – University Hall occupied. ROTC kicked off campus. Co-educational dorms. Optional final exams in two of the eight semesters. SDS teaching Soc Rel courses for credit. Harvard governance structures re-examined. Revival of a lottery draft system. Kent State protest shootings. Yes, the times, they were achangin’.

Our planet now faces two existential threats: Nuclear Risk and Climate Change. Does the WCE have any valuable insights, expertise and/or resources that it can contribute? We hope our mantra back then: “Don’t trust anyone over thirty” is rejected by the millennials.

For the official HR 1971 website see: http://www.hr71.org/

We are creating this WorstClassEver.org website in hopes of fostering a community of classmates concerned about issues facing humanity, who want to learn more about the issues, and who want to connect with each other.  We hope to draw on the expertise of our classmates and others to add references, ideas, and stories, eventually creating a valuable resource. We, an ad hoc group of HR ’ 71 classmates and affiliates (e.g. Nancy Beall, Sue Donaldson, Jon Gorham, Paul Harris, Ira Helfand, and Doug Hendren – HR ’72, Hon. WCE) invite all classmates AND others with Harvard affiliation (direct or indirect) to participate on any one of three levels:

Level One: Visit the web site and use the informational resources. (The resources listed so far are just for starters, to be augmented by the group — so good people, please understand this is just a beginning.)

Level Two: Submit your contact information and leave a story, resource recommendation, or description of what you are doing on either of these issues. (Submissions will be monitored before being posted.)

Level Three: Become a member of the WorstClassEver website Organizing Committee. What that entails:

• Commit to 2-3 conference calls over the next two months (Nov 2016 – Jan 2017)

• Help define the rules and expectations for participation in this on-line community

• Decide in the Organizing Committee if the group will continue, and if so, what roles and responsibilities will be assumed, and what resources will be needed?