Here’s the Physics Building amphitheater in 1977. What tickled me was the caption on the back of the photo, with its open disdain for the extremely disappointing aesthetic choices involved in what must have been a recent remodel of the room. It says “old-style room with tall ceilings and exposed beams, under which now have been added ill-concealed modern lighting and air-conditioning ducts.” (One suspects a Hackerman-era cost saving measure. They always have a reason for this kind of stuff.)
It really was a bit of a desecration. You can see the original lighting in this one from 1916:
At some point they saw the error of their ways and put it back the way it was supposed to be:
Bonus: Iconic.
I loved that old room, with its original wooden chairs and wooden floor worn by thousands of students’ feet. I had Physics 101 in there with Dr. Dunning in fall of 1976. He was well known for climbing on the chalk trays to rub out an error with the side of his hand and correct it. He was a master of the sliding chalkboards too.
One of my memories of the Physics Amphitheater is when Niels Bohr the noted Danish physicist spoke there in about 1957. Bohr had won the Nobel prize in 1922 and was famous for his theories on atomic structure. The place was packed. I think the lecture was in english, but I remember that all I could understand is when the said “next slide”!
I might have a picture of that. I’ll look . . .
I am glad to see PHYS AMPH returned to its proper appearance. Many awful things were done to buildings in the 1950-1980 timeframe.
Neils Bohr was also famous for his mumbling speech. In 1957 I had started my PhD project in the Bonner Nuclear Lab. The physics department had held a dinner or reception for Bohr during that visit. The next day I was in a small group talking to Dr. Roschach who said he had sat right across a table from Bohr but had not understood one word Bohr said.
At last! A picture of a lamp post. 🙂
If I didn’t know better I’d think you were teasing me!
That Physics Amp butchery is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen.
No kidding. And like a dozen people probably had to sign off on it.
Or just one: WW Akers, most likely.
This is me smiling.
Same old desks in 77 as in 64 when I sat in one (and met my wife in the next one over). Just when were those chairs new, anyway?
I believe they are original equipment.
Nice can of Tab on a chair in the close corner.