Trophy Case

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.