Harvard to Endow Chair in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies

Harvard University will endow a visiting professorship in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies, a position that, it believes, will be the first endowed, named chair in the subject at an American college.

The visiting professorship was made possible by a gift of $1.5 million from the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus, which will formally announce it at a dinner on Thursday, after Harvard’s commencement exercises. With the gift, Harvard said it would regularly invite “eminent scholars studying issues related to sexuality or sexual minorities” to teach on campus for one semester, according to a draft of a university press release.

The chair is being named for F.O. Matthiessen , a Harvard scholar and literary critic who “stands out as an unusual example of a gay man who lived his sexuality as an ‘open secret’ in the mid-twentieth century,” according to the release.

Professor Matthiessen, the release added, “leapt to his death from the window of a Boston hotel room” in 1950, despondent, at least in part, over the death several years earlier of his partner, the artist Russell Cheney.

While lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies represents a relatively new field of study at American universities, Harvard’s would not be the first such endeavor. The first university program in gay and lesbian studies was established at the City University of New York in 1986, according to Harvard’s research.

In the late 1990’s, Yale rejected the offer of an endowed chair in gay studies from Larry Kramer, the writer and AIDS activist. Yale later accepted $1 million from Mr. Kramer’s brother, Arthur Kramer, a money manager, to help finance what had become a growing gay and lesbian studies program.

By JACQUES STEINBERG JUNE 3, 2009 12:05 AMJune 3, 2009 12:05 am

Springfield Cemetery, Maple St., Springfield, MA
Section: 15, Q-20/21 Lot# 133

Just one small headstone in a large Orne/Platt family lot. Down a hill in Myrtle Path, off Laurel Ave., step down past family monuments for Dalton/Beach, Avery and Dwight lots.

There are 4 like this one. Francis Otto Mattiessen's marker is behind;
Lucinda Howard Orne, wife of George W. Pratt [Oct. 8, 1840-Dec. 29, 1898]
There is a big old oak tree to the right and a ledger type monument, tomb and sandstone headstones.

Francis Otto Matthiessen
Feb. 19, 1902
April 1, 1950

obituary, the Pawtucket Times (Rhode Island), April 1, 1950, page 2, part 1 of 2.

obituary, the Pawtucket Times (Rhode Island), April 1, 1950, page 2, part 2 of 2.

Helen Bayne Knapp, Matthiessen, and Russell Cheney: photo taken in Cheney's garden, 1925

Matthiessen (right) with Russell Cheney, Normandy, Summer 1925

Springfield Cemetery, Maple St., Springfield, MA
View of Oak tree and part of the Orne/Pratt family lot.
The small headstone to the rear of the other 3, is the one for Francis Otto Matthiessen. The tomb to the right of the tree is for;
George Dwight Pratt
Oct. 1, 1864-Oct. 17, 1947
Marian Kellogg, his wife
Jan. 6, 1864-Mar. 7, 1939
Ledger type monument is behind the tree and 8 other sandstone headstones next to the monument and tomb. One headstone is flat on the ground, not showing.