The Henry Howland Memorial Prize at Yale was created in 1915 for a "citizen of any country in recognition of some achievement of marked distinction in the field of literature or fine arts or the science of government." The idealistic quality of the recipient's work is an important factor in his selection. The award was established in honor of Henry Elias Howland (1835–1913), a member of the Yale class of 1854, by a donation of $15,000 by his children Charles P. Howland (Yale 1891), Dr. John Howland (Yale 1894), and Frances Howland.