Author Archives: Melissa Kean

Snow on campus always begins with quiet, calm wonder at the unexpected beauty then inevitably descends into hijinks. Compared to the events that followed some earlier storms (here in 1918 and here in 1929) these snow creatures are pretty mild. … Continue reading →

I was aware that Carl’s death was coming but it still hit hard. I’m not sure there will ever be another like him here–things have changed on campus in ways that probably make it impossible. The title of the Sallyport … Continue reading →

There are a lot of things I could say about this welcome to campus, written by Dr. Lovett during the hard times of the Great Depression. I will bite my tongue about the dismal physical state of the campus today … Continue reading →

It’s been raining on and off for a week and today it has rained all day. It is in fact still raining this evening. The result: lots of mud, lots of deep water, and a post that combines two of … Continue reading →

Although I admit that there have been days when I was ready to hoist the black flag, I’m not advocating insurrection here. Just this morning I was given a full box of things that had belonged to Holmes McNeely, director … Continue reading →

Neal Heaps ’42 passed away a couple of weeks at the age of 102. I had missed the Chronicle obituary during the chaos after Hurricane Beryl but am thankful that Grungy took the time to send it to me. I … Continue reading →

First, a hearty thanks to the inquisitive Leonard Lane who commented in yesterday’s post about my puzzlement over the purpose of the pipes, astutely suggesting that “the Pipe columns are supporting the structure added above the existing roof.” I was … Continue reading →

While I was out surveying the damage on campus the other day I noticed this pretty view amidst the wreckage: A couple of years ago I got interested in that round window in Anderson Architecture and why I’d never noticed … Continue reading →

I was gone all of June for our annual trip to Washington state and got back to Houston just in time for Beryl. I’m happy to be home but in hindsight I probably should have stayed an extra week. I … Continue reading →

A while back I got an unexpected phone call from a family member of J. Sayles Leach, who served as a Rice trustees in the 1950s and 60s. I’ve written about Mr. Leach here, in a post about this courtyard, … Continue reading →