Certain higher Rademacher symbols are defined that give class functions on the modular group. Their basic properties are derived via a two-variable reformulation of Eichler-Shimura cohomology. This reformulation better explains the role of cycle integrals and also yields new results, about the integrality of the values of the symbols. The Rademacher symbols determine the values at non-positive integers of the zeta function for a narrow ideal class of a real quadratic field. This result is equivalent to one of Siegel, but is proven in a new way by using an identity for the value of such a zeta function at a positive integer greater than one as a sum of certain double zeta values defined for the quadratic field.