Alternative facts

1  The Harvard Bridge measures 364 Smoots.  

Even the original pranksters had to admit that this was only  accurate to plus or minus an ear or two!  Oliver Smoot repeatedly lay down on the bridge, let his companions mark his new position in chalk or paint, and then got up again, in order to measure the bridge. Eventually, he got tired from all this exercise and was carried thereafter by the fraternity brothers to each new position.

I was amused to read that he eventually became the chairperson of the American Standards Institute. 

2.  It's John Harvard's Statue,  

No its not!   There was no likeness of John and so the artist used a student, Sherman Hoar, as a model.  However, that doesn't stop students and tourists from having their photo taken or indeed from rubbing the toe of "John's" foot to wish them luck in exams.  Its also known as the statue of the 3 lies. 

3.  John Harvard founded Harvard!  
Actually, he didn’t even attend the College. He was the first major benefactor to the University. He donated half of his estate and his library, which consisted of over 400 books.

4  Harvard was founded in 1638 
Well, no!  It was in 1636 which makes it the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

Phew! after all of that I think I need a Bex, a cuppa tea and a nice lie down, ha! ha!