Elihu Yale never set foot in New Haven, and there's no evidence that he ever attended college (See related story). Yet, because of his gift to a struggling "Collegiate School" in a far-off New England colony, that institution found a permanent home in the Elm City, and the Yale name has been linked with quality higher education for nearly three centuries. The University struck up the band (the Yale Precision Marching Band, to be precise) and rolled out several birthday cakes on April 5 to celebrate the 350th birthday of its historic benefactor. The two-part observance began with a ceremony on Hewitt Quadrangle that featured a large cardboard cake decorated with the words "Happy Birthday, Elihu Yale," as well as several real cakes, similarly decorated, which were served along with iced tea to all who passed by. Also highlighting the affair were music by the aforementioned University band and remarks by Linda Koch Lorimer, vice president and University secretary; Ralph Franklin, director of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library; and Scott Bennett, University librarian. The birthday celebration continued that afternoon in Sterling Memorial Library with a talk about the life and times of Elihu Yale by Judith Schiff, chief archivist in Sterling's manuscripts and archives department, and Bruce Stowe, a retired University scientist who has been in Wales in recent years studying the life of Elihu Yale. How Yale became Yale. In some respects, it is surprising that Elihu Yale agreed to serve as benefactor for a college run by Congregationalist ministers in the New World, noted Schiff in her talk. Although he was born in Boston and his step-grandfather had helped found New Haven Colony, Elihu Yale was raised in Britain, and was both an ardent member of the Church of England and a loyal supporter of the Crown. He was, however, an extremely wealthy man, who had amassed his fortune in India while working for the East India Company. Therefore, he was one of the people who was approached by Jeremy Drummer, an agent who was in England representing the Connecticut and Massachusetts colonies. Drummer persuaded Elihu Yale to donate 32 books to the Collegiate School (as it was then known) in 1713. Just a few years later, dissatisfied with the school's site in Saybrook, Connecticut, the trustees of the Collegiate School began searching for a new home for the institution, preferably one with a central facility. In a bidding war with Hartford, the citizens of New Haven pledged 2,000 English pounds to the Collegiate School if it would relocate there. In order to raise additional funds for this building, in 1718 the school's trustees asked Cotton Mather, a Harvard alumnus who was unhappy at having been passed over for the presidency of his alma mater, to approach Elihu Yale on behalf of the so-called "Academy of Dissenters" in New Haven. In his letter, Mather suggested to the childless Elihu Yale that "if what is forming at New Haven might wear the name of YALE COLLEGE, it would be better than a name of sons and daughters. And your munificence might easily obtain for you such a commemoration and perpetuation of your valuable name, which would indeed be much better than an Egyptian pyramid." Elihu Yale responded by sending a gift of three bales of goods, 417 books, a portrait of King George I ("to remind them of their duties to the king," noted Schiff) and a set of royal arms, which was later destroyed during the American Revolution. The bales of goods included 25 pieces of garlic (a kind of cloth), 18 pieces of calico, 17 pieces of worsted goods, 12 pieces of Spanish poplin, 5 pieces of plain muslin, and 2 pieces of black and white silk crepe. "The black crepe was to make the tutors' robes," said Lorimer at the April 5 ceremony. The sale of the textiles raised 562 English pounds for construction of the Collegiate School building, which was promptly renamed Yale College. "Although it may not seem like much today, Elihu Yale's gift was the largest received by Yale College for the next 100 years," said Lorimer. The donated books were not sold, however, but kept for use by the college, noted Franklin in his remarks. "From the beginning, this institution has been an institution of books," he said. "It is interesting to note that the people who received these books, desperate though they were for money, never gave a thought to selling them." Today, about half of the volumes donated by Elihu Yale are on display in the glass tower of the Beinecke Library as part of what is known as the Yale Library of 1742 (for the year the collection was catalogued). In fact, it is surprising how little Yale has changed over the past three centuries or so, noted Bennett at the April 5 ceremony. "In 1718 we were collecting books and building buildings. In 1999 what are we doing? Still collecting books and building buildings." Exhibits on Elihu. In conjunction with Elihu Yale's 350th birthday, both the Sterling Memorial and Beinecke libraries have mounted small exhibits about him. The role of Elihu Yale as an icon for generations of University graduates is explored in an exhibit in Sterling Memorial Library, 120 High St. The display features documents from and about the life of Elihu Yale from the University's manuscripts and archives department, including a copy of Hiram Bingham's biography of the historic figure, titled "The American Nabob of Queen Square." It also includes information about alumni pilgrimages to Elihu Yale's tomb in Wrexham, Wales; drives that have been undertaken over the years to rehabilitate that tomb; and stamps commemorating Elihu Yale that were issued in India through the efforts of Old Blues. In addition, the list of 417 books that Elihu Yale donated to the college in 1718 is on display on the mezzanine level of the Beinecke Library, corner of Wall and High streets. One of the books from that list, a volume on Church doctrine published in 1616, is on display, as is a 1678 edition of Milton's "Paradise Lost" with Elihu Yale's name on the flyleaf. -- By LuAnn Bishop T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S Actress to talk about her art in Maynard Mack Lecture Older workers help Yale Program on Aging reach out . . . Campus honors man who gave Yale its name What's in a name? Endowed Professorship: Physicist Grober is appointed to Barton Weller chair Policymakers to consider prospects for economic and social development . . . Alumna Congresswoman to speak at AACC's anniversary event Feminist Friedan will take part in 'Women and Freedom' conference Conference to examine how life has changed in Connecticut Music student recitals to be held off-campus Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events| Bulletin Board Classified Ads|Search Archives|Production Schedule|Bulletin Staff Public Affairs Home|News Releases|E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page

 Music by members of the Yale Precision Marching Band highlighted the April 5 celebration of Elihu Yale's 350th birthday on Beinecke Plaza.