New Year’s Eve, 1967

I’ve mentioned before that for decades George and Esther Cohen threw an exceedingly glamorous and extremely well attended New Year’s Eve party in the Faculty Club every year. I’d come across invitations to these galas in a number of collections but it wasn’t until Mr. Cohen’s scrapbook arrived at the Woodson last summer that I found any photos of the parties themselves. These are labeled “New Year’s Eve, 1967” but I don’t know whether 1967 was coming or going. In any event, they are glorious. The party hats alone are worth the price of admission–very festive–although I must note that most of the big dogs are too dignified to wear them. Here are President Kenneth Pitzer and his wife Jean, Mildred and former President William Houston and Esther and George Cohen:

This is Chancellor Carey Croneis and his wife, Grace:

Mathematician Hubert (’18) and Gertrude Bray:

Mrs. Cohen with Street Fulton of the Philosophy Department and his delightful wife, Edythe:
They apparently made some of the more junior faculty sing for their supper. That’s Frank Hole from Anthropology at the piano and Clark Read from Biology with their wives:

Bonus: The Rice Owls are about to kick off in Memphis. Good luck, boys! Remember where you came from.