Harvard, Massachusetts
Population: 5,981
Located in Worcester County
Harvard is a well preserved rural community with an interesting history extending back to 1732 when the town was incorporated. It has an open town meeting form of government and a five member Board of Selectmen. The population as of January 1, 2003 was 5,604. Situated in Worcester County, Harvard is 32 miles west of Boston, and 22 miles northeast of Worcester. The town is bordered by Ayer, Bolton, Boxboro, Lancaster, Littleton, Shirley, and Stow. Routes 2 and 495 run through the town, and the Nashua River forms its western boundary.
Throughout its 250 years, the town has been known for a series of unusual sociological and religious experiments. The most well known of these were carried out by Mother Ann Lee, who came to live in Harvard in 1781 and founded a Shaker Village, still to be seen today, and Bronson Alcott, who carried out a transcendental experiment in living with his family and friends here in 1843. The farmhouse where the Alcotts lived was called Fruitlands and is now part of the Fruitlands Museum on Prospect Hill. Harvard is characterized by colonial and Victorian homes, churches, town hall and library clustered around a historic common; winding roads lined with trees and often marked by stone walls; many historic farm houses and several working apple and peach orchards in outlying areas; and the four centuries old village of Still River with its stunning western vistas.
Residents enjoy the intimacy of a small town, with its Fourth of July parade, Apple Blossom Festival and many other events, the majority of which take place in the vicinity of the historic town common. Another amenity is Bare Hill Pond, a 330-acre lake where swimming, sailing and canoeing lessons are offered in the summer and cross country skiing and skating take place in winter. There are over 2,000 acres of conservation land throughout the town, much of it interconnected by walking trails.
The town provides a kindergarten through grade 12 public school program on one centrally located campus. A major school building program was completed in 1991, resulting in a new elementary school and an auditorium and other improvements for Bromfield High.
Through its zoning and other town bylaws, conservation land purchases and historic preservation efforts, Harvard has long been dedicated to maintaining its historical, small town environment and open spaces.
Harvard Community Unit School District #50 offers a variety of programs from preschool through high school. The Harvard School system offers a comprehensive curriculum in language arts, mathematics, physical science, social science, fine arts, and physical education.
The Harvard Schools take pride in their facilities and staff. The School district is comprised of five buildings, which serve over 2100 students. The facilities are clean, well maintained and allow for handicap accessibility. There are over 200 certified and non-certified staff members. The teachers have a reputation for being outstanding, caring, and highly dedicated individuals. The administration is well qualified in their field and continue to update their knowledge through the Illinois Administrators' Academy and the Illinois Principal's Association. Harvard is known throughout McHenry County for its excellence in education.
Parent involvement is a vital part of the schools in District #50. Volunteers are used in helping with classroom projects, fund-raisers, dental fluoride treatment, computer labs, VIVA, paired readers, learning centers, and libraries. Active parental involvement is encouraged through parent workshops, Parent Teacher Groups and the Booster Club.
Harvard Community Unit School District #50 believes firmly in maintaining good school-community relations and business partnerships. They periodically distribute newsletters to parents from each school to keep them updated on what's happening in each building. The administrators and Board of Education use local newspapers and radio to inform the public of events and changes occurring in the school system.
Educating for excellence is the goal. Early intervention and grant programs provide services that meet individual needs and allow children to reach their potential in a changing, technological society. Harvard takes pride in its educational system and encourages the cooperation and commitment of local businesses.
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