At Inaugural Galas, Nothing Succeeds Like Excess

By JJ HERMES

Fifty guests devoured 146 pounds of beef, pork, and mutton and downed 16 gallons of wine at the 1708 inauguration of Harvard University's seventh president, John Leverett. But at least the event lasted only one day.

Two centuries later, such festivities last two, three, sometimes five days. They typically mix pomp...