Well, Lee Pecht and Mary Bixby have been at it again. (Apparently, they are incorrigible.) This time they have set up an exhibit in the old trophy case that stands in the main entry of the RMC, right next to the piano. The case has been a bit neglected in recent years. It’s quite ornate and it sits a bit uncomfortably in the very modern student center, so it’s not too surprising that no one has worried much about what it holds. This is how it looked earlier this summer, full up with a hodgepodge of stuff that hadn’t been changed in many years.
But with Rice’s centennial fast approaching, Lee and Mary have sprung into action. The case now contains a real exhibit, and one that brings much joy to heart. It’s full of weird pieces of equipment–some old, some not so old–that have fallen into our hands in recent years but that we haven’t been able to display. I owe a real debt to the people on campus who made sure that these things weren’t just tossed in a dumpster. (You know who you are.) Please, I beg you, go over and look at these cool things. And while you’re there, also check out the new student-run Coffee House. It’s a great use of what was otherwise kind of wasted space.
But of course I can’t resist showing just a couple of pictures. This gas mask came from the Chemistry Department:
Thanks to the folks in the Dean Of Engineering’s Office for this one:
Anyone recognize this?
And there’s lots more, folks. Trust me.
Tomorrow, a few words about the origins of the trophy case itself.
For those of us not in reasonable range to visit, how about a listing of all the new exhibits? Actually, I wouldn’t mind knowing what got taken out as well.
There were quite a few band-related items in the trophy case before the change, as well as actual trophies won by rice teams and individuals in non-athletic events (such as College Bowl). I hope the picture of the piglet from the ’75 Arkansas halftime show is in a safe place. And that piano mentioned in passing – did you see who its donation honors and what past Rice Historical Society president donated it?
Melissa: This trophy case has always interested me, particularly because, as you say, it seems so out of place in the modern RMC. I’m anxious to read your upcoming post about its origins. I’m also interested in the art that hangs in that same area. Perhaps you know something about that, too?
Melissa,
That last image is a Tandy 80 laptop. We called them Trash80s when I worked at the Houston Post and as a freelance journalist. My wife also used them as a UPI reporter. The computers used payphones with a cup system that attached the phone receiver so I could transmit stories from remote locations….this was in the mid 1980s. I filed many stories using the Trash80s. I was quite proficient at setting up the computers. And by the way, I am going to take credit for preserving that particular T80 at the Woodson. I remember when it arrived at the archive. I was giddy like I was seeing an old friend. I made a case to Lee Pecht for its preservation. I still love those machines. I am happy to see it on display.
I would hate to see that GE College Bowl trophy lost or placed in some out of the way spot. I was in school when we won it, with a masterful victory over, I think, Florence State Teachers College, and it should be given at least a bit of respect. The four members of our team, led by Lawson Taitte, were awesome throughout the competition, barely letting any opponent even get a chance to answer a question. Lawson could identify any classical composition in, at most, three notes, and the others were equally good at their specialties. Let’s keep this accomplishment in the forefront.
I believe the College Bowl trophy that was until recently displayed was the one from the more recent national championship, not from the televised series of games that Lawson Taitte participated in.
The 1966 trophy is shown here: https://scholarship.rice.edu/handle/1911/71831 . I would presume this means that it’s in the archives somewhere.
It is. If I recall correctly, it’s in the vault.
Here’s a guide to the Woodson’s records on Rice’s G.E. (and subsequent) College Bowl teams: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/ricewrc/00754/rice-00754.html
They begin in 1966, the year when in May-June Rice’s team was undefeated and set scoring records.