As I said yesterday, there were balloons all over. There were people all over too, spread across the lawn, up on the balconies on Lovett Hall, even in the oak trees. It looks like a hot and windy day but I can’t account for the man in the hat carrying a coat:
Among my favorite images in the Woodson are procession photos, which give me the chance to see so many people I love. Here right up front is Katherine Tsanoff Brown, behind her in the Harvard regalia is geologist Carey Croneis, who would have been Chancellor Emeritus at this time after serving as provost for many years. He would pass away only a few months after this event. For the life of me I can’t call up the name of the guy next to him, but behind them are a couple of trustees so it must be someone important:
Here’s the man of the hour, Norman Hackerman, walking next to the Chairman of the Rice board Malcolm Lovett, Sr. In front of them are Frank Vandiver, who looks absolutely delighted to be escaping the office of Interim President with his head still attached to his shoulders–more on this later–and Herb Allen, looking quite pleased to have selected a president without causing an uprising:
I’ll end with another odd one: Norman’s wife, Gene, undaunted by either heat, wind, or sun. Right off her shoulder is Mary Lou Margrave with a fur piece around her neck!
Bonus: A reader up at A&M sends this, wondering if anyone here can explain it. The lettering at bottom left of the billboard with the alien says “VADA.RICE.EDU” Beats me, but . . . well, they’re artists, you know?
