I stumbled across another set of photos of things being launched. This is clearly later than the last ones, which were taken in 1960. I don’t know what they’re shooting at here. Can somebody help me out?
And here’s something I didn’t expect–there are impressionable children present!
Now for the quiz:
This is on the Rice campus. Where? I haven’t been able to think of a prize, so it’s just for the honor of the thing (although I will take suggestions for a prize for next time).
This is from before I was born, but the top picture looks like students at old Weiss firing a Gzilcher at the Hanszen old section tower. In the second one, I imagine they accidentally got the surgical tubing caught on the building.
Then again, this is just my first impression.
I agree, towards Hanszen. That is (was) the far west side of old Wiess College, right where the “Overland Flow Channel” (a.k.a. Alumni Rd extension) is now. I think FEMA paid for it (the road), and a bunch of nice, new tennis courts a few years back under the banner of “flood management improvements”.
As for the chalk holder, my guess is Physics lecture hall… do they still use blackboards?
It’s definitely old Wiess, next to the old tennis courts — I think I remember the room where I bought my statue-rotation t-shirt as being up on that balcony. But I’m not as sure about the target being Hanszen’s tower. As I recall, old Wiess was a large capital “E” with the openings facing Hanszen’s Old Section. So these fellows seem to be at right angles from the direction they’d face to fire that way.
So I agree with Wiess as the locale, but I’d vote for Will Rice as the target instead.
no the targer is Hanszen, either the roof top balcany on top of the old section tower or someone outside on the lawn. Will Rice would be totally blocked by Hanszen from that location.
In 1971, a Rice FB player (the olny real start that year) occupied the room right below the stars the two guys are firing on. All of the Hanszen people were warned that under no circumstances should anyone even consider putting a balloon on through his windows if they valued their continued good health
There was a long, clear path down the backside of Wiess college. If I had to guess, they might be launching with intent to soak people (or at least startle them) at the crossing paths at the far end of old Wiess. The angle they are shooting at doesn’t look sufficient to be shooting at Hanzen and unless they are trying to get through a window, what’s the point of splashing a building? Once you get to the crossing, I think the trees there would make the odds of hitting anything pretty small.
They might have been trying for the Wiess Master’s house, which if I recall, had a side yard towards Hanzsen. Maybe there was a garden party they weren’t invited to?
I remember reading things about Weiss specifically trying to get balloons into open windows. I guess this was the days before students had expensive electronics.
Wiess house was on the north side of the college
You are right on the angle. Could be trying to get people shooting from the grass just North of Hanszen
This around 1961-62 and the location is definitely the west wing of Wiess. The angle is wrong for Hanszen or Talmage’s house. Talmage did not really have a sense of humor so Wiess House is an unlikely target.
One possible target was the Quadrangle. Catapults were developed that could shoot over the library and hit Willy’s statute. Range was improved by dipping the balloons in liquid nitrogen. As far as shooting at Hanszen, there is a story that after the Administration announced a fine for breaking windows, a collection was taken at Wiess and a number of windows at Hanszen were deliberately taken out.
My guess — Cohen House? Based on the texture of the wall, that would be my guess, but I have no idea what it is……
As to where the gzilchers are aimed — this is old Weiss, and they appear to be aiming at Sid Rich.
That’s a chalk-rack and they’re all over Sewell Hall.