@Data10 this is not what I thought “Gentlemen’s C’s” referred to. Back when Harvard was just (mainly white) upper class males, graduates often worked in finance or banking etc. through family and social connections. They did not have to try that hard with school work. BUt they did do enough to get a C (or maybe a B)- just enough.
The other part of it was that it was not “gentlemanly.” and even unseemly or vulgar, to try too hard. Competition was for the lower classes who needed to try hard to get ahead, and modesty was valued, Doing “just enough” was a sign of social standing. It was actually considered almost laudable to be relaxed and even insouciant and just do what you needed to do for a C.