The official opening of Cohen House took place the day after Thanksgiving in 1927 but a smaller private dinner the evening before marked its true inauguration. Last year I talked about Dr. Lovett’s remarks at that dinner and this year I’d like to share George Cohen’s recollections of it, written, I would guess from context, in 1956 or’57. In particular Cohen expresses his pride in the reliefs of the sixteen early faculty member that were carved into the pillars that today separate the lounge from the main dining area. The Woodson still has the guest register he mentions here:

I’m fairly sure that Mr. Cohen’s predictions about an increase in people wanting to know about the faculty members whose likenesses were carved on the pillars turned out to be wrong, but I can also tell you that I never walk past without looking at them and saying a small prayer of gratitude for the work of those men who made our own work here possible:

This drew a chuckle from me. I’m certain this wasn’t the first time McCann and McCants were mixed up.

Bonus: The carvings got media coverage.