Monthly Archives: August 2018

Friday Follies: A Monument More Lasting than Bronze, nd

It can’t have been easy to get that relaxed on a stone bench. I admire their commitment, though, and plan to emulate it. I’m taking Labor Day off–see you Tuesday. The monument lasted but the bench vanished at some point. … Continue reading

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Norman, Pen in Hand

I’ve been having a sort of sludgy, incoherent week but then today I found a picture of President Hackerman that I’d never seen before. Here’s Norman signing diplomas in his office, probably early 1980s: If that doesn’t cheer you up, … Continue reading

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$54.06, 1961

I just read an article in this week’s Rice News about how our great Openstax project is saving students money on textbooks and I immediately remembered this clipping from the start of fall semester in 1961. I found it years … Continue reading

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Think Metric, 1977

This is an undated photograph of former Rice Food Service Director Joyce Rubash: When I took a closer look at the paraphernalia on her desk I knew just how to date it. Remember that doomed effort to get us all … Continue reading

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A Proposal for Faculty Residences, 1948

The other day I ran across this plea for on-campus housing for faculty. In the aftermath of World War II, as both Houston and Rice rapidly expanded housing became a growing concern with respect to the recruitment and retention of … Continue reading

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Friday Follies: Lurid Publication, 1956

Here’s the list for a 1956 Chaille Rice Literary Society scavenger hunt. I’m pretty sure I could lay my hands on a lurid publication but a clothes pin might be a problem. Bonus: Now this is the kind of thing … Continue reading

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“the importance of mathematics in furthering the acquisition of new knowledge,” 1966

Looking for something in a box of materials from the 50th anniversary celebration of the first Rice commencment, I ran across a copy of the brief remarks given at a dinner on that occasion by Norman Hurd Ricker ’16 ’17 … Continue reading

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Before there was “Hello, Hamlet” . . . 1954

the Sarah Lane Literary Society was parodying Macbeth! (I tend to think Macbeth has somewhat more comic potential, particularly in an academic setting.) The program appeared in a package of memorabilia that arrived at the Woodson a week or so … Continue reading

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“Physical Inventory of Movable Equipment,” April 1950

If you thought there were some things that are so trivial even I wouldn’t bother with them, well, you were wrong. My attention was riveted by this yesterday afternoon: I read these pages with great enjoyment as I’ve had quite … Continue reading

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Back to School, 1962

That’s the label on the back of this image: I immediately note two things. First, both students are so neatly dressed. And second, look how wild that asian jasmine has gotten! The picture was taken not all that long after … Continue reading

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