Boyden Station, 1948-1951

Margaret Olmsted (1901-1967), astronomer, graduated from Radcliffe College and joined the Harvard College Observatory during Harlow Shapley’s directorship. Olmsted remained active in astronomical research throughout her career, contributing to publications in the field as well as supporting the administrative functions of the Observatory. Much of Olmsted's work received little acknowledgement during her lifetime.

John Stefanos Paraskevopoulos (1889-1951) was a Greek astronomer who served as superintendent of the Harvard College Observatory’s Boyden Station. Paraskevopoulos, or "Paras" as he was sometimes known, obtained his PhD in 1910 from the University of Athens. In September 1923, Paraskevopoulos accepted an offer from the Harvard College Observatory to become superintendent of the Observatory's southern station in Arequipa, Peru. After Boyden Station relocated to South Africa in 1927, Paraskevopoulos served as its director until his sudden death in 1951. A crater "Paraskevopoulos" on the Moon is named in his honor.

Harlow Shapley (1885-1972), astronomer, came to Harvard in 1921 where he was appointed Paine Professor of Practical Astronomy and director of the Harvard College Observatory. While at Harvard, Shapley mentored many young astronomers from around the world, and in the late 1930s, helped many European refugee scientists emigrate safely to the United States. While director of the Observatory, Shapley is credited with modernizing its equipment, collaborating with scientists from across the world, increasing the scope and number of its publications, and training a new generation of astronomers. Shapley retired from the Observatory in 1952, but continued teaching until 1956. Shapley wrote several books and received many honors and awards throughout his career, including the Henry Draper Medal in 1926 and the Rumford Prize of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1933. From 1947 to 1948, he was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In 1951, Boyden Station established "an informal group of distinguished laymen in South Africa to serve as an Advisory Board of Visitors," similar to the structure of Harvard's Visiting Committee. The primary function of the Friends was to "acquaint themselves with the current needs of the Station and to assist the director and associate director of the Harvard Observatory and the director of the Boyden Station in securing the funds or other material assistance required for the effective operation of the Station."