Charles William Eliot

William Clark Noble’s plaster cast shows Charles William Eliot (1834-1926), who served as president of Harvard University from 1869 to 1909. Eliot’s major accomplishments include editing the Harvard Classics and spearheading the elective system, which allowed students greater freedom in course selection. Noble’s plaster medallion is a preliminary design for the obverse of a commemorative medal (see 1927.12.1).