I had a productive day in the archives but some of what I found was so surprising I need a bit of time to digest it. Instead of writing about all that, here’s a picture of a box full of moss and leaves sitting in the Founders Room in Lovett Hall:
Apparently in the thorough sweep of campus that preceded the Economic Summit someone opened this box and discovered that it was . . . full of moss, sticks, and leaves. So our public relations department got the Houston Chronicle to run a picture of it in an attempt to discover whether it had some deep meaning. The note on the back say “University officials are trying to find out about the moss and stuff before the summit. It might have historic value????”
This fills me with mirth. I laugh every time I look at it.
ht…I have to wonder if that box was there the time we penetrated the inner sanctum of the Founder’s room that night…
Matt: I was thinking you might have left it!
But did they find any explanation?
I have no idea. I guess I hope not.
Is there a sex purity handbook inside? (Melissa, you have stumbled into a realm of private jokes from an escapade during my time at Rice. It involved the steam tunnels and the Founder’s Room.)
Yes, I know of this escapade. What a bunch of rascals.
There were items stashed in the attic over the Founder’s Room when I explored it, that included crumbling newspapers and pieces of a packing crate stenciled “E.O. Lovett”.
I found a Hot Wheels lunch box up there.
Arne Saknussemm was here
Where? On a journey to the center of the steam tunnels?