This month in Harvard history

April 5, 1898 — Responding to the Spanish-American War, 1st Lt. Wirt Robinson, Instructor in Military Science, solicits volunteers to drill under his supervision. Sixty students show up the next day. By May, more than 400 have responded.

April 1900 — Harvard ships exhibition materials from New York to Paris for the Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) de 1900. George Lincoln Goodale, the Fisher Professor of Natural History and Director of the Botanic Garden, accompanies the shipment to supervise the installation.

April 18, 1900 — Work begins on the second Newell Boathouse, which will replace the new structure lost to fire on Dec. 27, 1899.

April 23, 1900 — Harvard runners take to the new Soldiers Field track for the first time.

From the Harvard Historical Calendar, a database compiled by Marvin Hightower