A General Court held at Boston, Sept. 8. 1630 advanced a Small Sum (and it was then a Day of Small Things) namely, Four Hundred Pounds, by way of Essay towards the Building of something to begin a Colledge; and New-Town being the Kiriath Sepher appointed for the Seat of it, the Name of the Town was for the sake of somewhat now founding here, which might hereafter grow into an University, changed into Cambridge. ‘Tis true, the University of Upsal in Sueden, hath ordinarily about seven or eight Hundred Students belonging to it, which do none of them live Collegiately, but board all of them here and there at Private Houses; nevertheless the Government of New-England, was for having their Students brought up in a more Collegiate Way of Living. But that which laid the most significant Stone in the Foundation, was the Last Will of Mr. John Harvard, a Reverend, and Excellent Minister of the Gospel, who dying at Charlestown, of a Consumption, quickly after his Arrival here, bequeathed the Sum of Seven Hundred, seventy nine Pounds, seventeen Shillings, and two Pence, towards the Pious Work of building a Colledge, which was now set a foot. A Committee then being chosen, to prosecute an Affair, so happily commenced, it soon found Encouragement from several other Benefactors: The other Colonies sent some small Help to the Undertaking, and several particular Gentlemen did more, than whole Colonies to support and forward it: But because the Memorable Mr. John Harvard, led the Way by a Generosity exceeding the most of them, that followed His Name was justly Eternized, by its having the Name of Harvard-Colledge imposed upon it.

Cotton Mather

Things sure have changed since his times, eh Frank?