A few months ago I put up some pictures of a visit to campus in 1938 by Ray Watkin and some of her friends which included this striking photo:
Ray, the daughter of Rice architect William Ward Watkin, continued to spend a lot of time on campus all the way up until her death in 2011. Here she is (with, I believe, her stepmother) in a picture dated 1962. She would be pretty mad, by the way, that I’m showing you a picture of her with her eyes shut. I’m actually sorry about that but it’s the best I can do.
This time I know the reason for the visit. They came for the combined semi-centennial celebration and inauguration of Kenneth Pitzer as Rice’s third president:
Bonus: Roughly the same spot as the first image, roughly 52 years later.
Special Quiz: I was cleaning out some cabinets in Allen Center today. As I pulled binders off a high shelf, something amazing appeared. I knew what it was as soon as the smallest part of it came into view. Who else knows what it is?
The lady at the far right of the top photo looks a lot like the presumed step-mother in the second one.
Interesting thought. I’ll make it a point to check on that.
The missing gnomon?
Absolutely right. I almost fell off the chair I was standing on. Neill Binford’s office.
For the Cohen House sundial? Cool!
Nice! Here’s a link to Melissa’s earlier post (Jan. 5, 2012: http://ricehistorycorner.com/2012/01/05/the-cohen-house-sundial) in which she found a second arrow/gnomon … but “the original tip and tail are still missing. If you know where they are, let me know. No questions asked!”