William Bentinck-Smith

Bentinck-Smith from Harvard Gazette
Born in Boston, William Bentinck-Smith (1914-1993) graduated from Milton Academy in 1932, from Harvard College in 1937 and from the Columbia School of Journalism with a master’s degree in 1938. He was a reporter for The Boston Globe for two years and served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander and earning the Bronze Star for courage.

From 1946 until 1954, Bentinck-Smith was editor of the
Harvard Alumni Bulletin, now the Harvard Magazine, winning for the Bulletin the Robert Sibley award for best alumni publication in the United States.

Bentinck-Smith worked at Harvard in various administrative positions under presidents
James Bryant Conant, Nathan Pusey (as his administrative assistant from 1954 until 1971) and Derek Bok for over 40 years. He was author or editor of numerous books on Harvard’s history including The Harvard Book, an anthology about Harvard College and its history, and Building A Great Library: The Coolidge Years at Harvard. He received the Harvard Medal in 1987 for exceptional contributions to the University.

Bentinck-Smith was active in the Massachusetts Historical Society, served on the boards of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts and was a member of the American Antiquarian Society and of the Boston Society of Printers.


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