Just a quick one this afternoon–we’re headed to the Rockets game tonight, where I anticipate booing Kobe with great enthusiasm.
I had occasion today to discuss how the early commencement ceremonies were arranged. I’m pretty sure that the faculty robed in the Mech Lab and the students either in the dorms or at home. The procession clearly began at the Mech Lab and came down the road towards the center of the academic quad, then turned towards the administration building along the front of Physics:
It’s a bit blurry, but if you zoom in you’ll see Dr. Lovett at the right front and H.A. Wilson at the left front. The fellow in the middle is the speaker, whose name has somehow slipped my mind. Right behind them is Captain Baker and Father James Kirwin, the Catholic priest who gave the invocation. (Father Kirwin was quite a significant figure in both Houston and Galveston.) The third row is full of trustees, and they’re followed by the faculty. One of the things that’s a little puzzling here is the pretty substantial group of civilians in between the robed faculty and the robed students. I don’t know what that’s all about.
And here’s a photo of the ceremony itself, including the entire audience:
Note the Rice flag on the building.
I bet I’ve looked at this picture four or five dozen times over the course of twenty years, but every single time before today I missed seeing the Community House across the street. This is one more example of the beauty of working in the same archive for so long. Until now I just hadn’t ever had the Community House in my mind when I looked at it. Makes me wonder what else I’m missing.
Bonus: Lee Pecht and Mary Bixby were caught on film today attempting to carry out some kind of secret project.
It turned out to be a new display in the trophy case in the RMC. It’s another nice one, too. This 1947 Rondelet dress is just one piece of it.
