Neighbors for the 21st century
Neighborliness is something of a dying ideal these days, a once-cherished quality that most overworked, hyperconnected Americans now scarcely have the time to embrace. In one corner of the University, however, the dedicated group of volunteers who run Harvard Neighbors is proving that the concept is alive and well — and that the definition of a neighbor extends well beyond the house next door. What started in 1894 as a prim club for faculty wives has evolved into one of the least exclusive, most eclectic social organizations at Harvard. Faculty, staff, visiting scholars, fellows, postdocs, and retirees may join, along with their spouses or partners. The group currently has nearly 300 dues-paying members. (Graduate students and their families have their own support network, the Harvard Students’ Spouses and Partners Association.) “People may consider this an old-fashioned organization, but I believe it has and continues to serve the University well,” said Jacoba von...