Rice History Corner

Photos of the interior of Cohen House, especially in its early years, are few and far between. During the preparations for a new exhibit about George Cohen in the Woodson, though, some wonderful ones turned up. They were taken on the occasion of Mrs. Agnes Cohen’s 80th birthday party in 1937. Mrs. Cohen was the mother of George Cohen, whose gift in his parents’ honor provided the funding for the construction of the club in 1927.

Here’s the luncheon party. George Cohen is at right with his mother next to him and Dr. Lovett on her other side. The only other person I recognize is Harry Weiser, then Dean of the Institute, (whose colloid lab saw here) seated next to the smiling woman in the hat:

And here’s Mrs. Cohen cutting her cake:

There’s a lot that could be said about this but what’s interesting to me is that the fixtures, walls, and windows all are clearly Cohen House but I couldn’t immediately say where in Cohen House.

Luckily, there was a floor plan in the same box:

They had to have been in the original Dining Room, which is where the  lunch buffet is set up today. The tall window in the background of the first photo is the one right above the “AND” in this William Ward Watkin drawing:

Bonus: They also planted an azalea bush in Mrs. Cohen’s honor that day. (I have a sense that 1937 would have been relatively early for azaleas in Houston.) She looks kind of happy in this shot.

I think.

Things often take odd turns during Spring Semester. People get a bit squirrelly.

This happened in March 1964 and was reported in one of the local papers (I’d wager it was the Post):

Bonus: I recently came across some evidence that you can leave Rice but small traces of you will stay behind. Two regular commenters here turned up unexpectedly. This I found today:

And this a couple of weeks ago:

I was off yesterday for Good Friday so today you get a special followup to this mess:

Here’s a close up. I wonder if the outfits had a sort of “Boy Named Sue” effect because these guys manage to look tough in spite of them:

What made me laugh out loud, though, was the very next photo in the file. I have no idea who this man is or what’s actually going on here but   for all the world it looks like a rescue mission:

It being the ’70s, of course, the new threads aren’t much of an improvement.

I’ve considered, by the way, doing a series called “Ties of the 1970s” but I guess I’ll keep it in reserve for a while, along with “Rice Buffet Tables Through the Ages.”

I had a long, wild day today. But what stands out from the chaos are two astonishing archival discoveries that advance my research by leaps rather than the usual tiny steps. I’m happy.

Almost as happy as this guy, who is just plain beaming:

The photo is labeled but the handwriting is almost totally indecipherable. I’m pretty sure his first name is Ken.

Bonus: Also a happy fellow is my friend and occasional partner in crime Bill Lassiter, who retires from the Electrician’s Shop on Friday. I will miss him despite his constant threats to report me to the authorities.

Extra Bonus: The Victor Lopez Classic from the 10th floor of the BRC. Note the new stands.

This morning I came across a packet of photos I’d never seen before. Actually, it was more than packet–it was a whole box of images from the Cohen House collection that I’d somehow missed. There turned out to be much of interest in it but I feel that I need to start with this unexpected thing:

If I’m looking at this correctly it’s in between the RMC and the back of Fondren. It’s one of a series of campus views that all seem to have been taken on the same day. (More of these soon.) The label on the back indicates that it was developed in January 1966. Although I suppose it might have been taken any time before then I feel safe in saying that Mr. Cohen was not one to leave undeveloped film sitting around for long so I’d guess it pretty close to that time.

So what is that? Is it art? Science?

Bonus:

Cast your mind back to the balmy days of 2011. Almost exactly five years ago (!) I came across some correspondence between a couple members of the earliest graduating classes about designing a special monogram for the “Frontier Five” classes to wear at Homecoming and other events.

I had pretty good reason to believe that this was actually carried out but in all this time I’ve never been able to find one. A couple of weeks ago, though, our Super Intern Camille, who was working on a display about the first graduating class and their campus experience, came to me with these:

Our hearts all skipped a beat, of course, as we contemplated whether they were the elusive badges.

Close, I think, but not quite. I believe that they were worn by the early classes at the 50th anniversary Homecoming in 1962, three years before the Bulbrook correspondence. Here, in fact, is a photograph of Harry Bulbrook himself wearing one on that occasion. He looks like a lot of fun, doesn’t he?

And here’s the Frontier Five group at Homecoming in 1968. Although it’s hard to see they do indeed seem to be wearing a different kind of badge:

Perhaps perversely, I’m rather glad that the mystery remains unsolved.

Bonus: Camille’s display is now up! It’s in the cases on the third floor of the library by the Kyle Morrow Room. Go see it if you have a chance. She worked hard on it and it is good.

I found out over the weekend that James Lang had recently passed away and I was damned sorry to hear it. He worked for about fifteen years or so in the Carpentry Shop and retired in the spring of 2014. He was a good guy and a good carpenter:

He was also a proud Army man, a veteran of Viet Nam and a member of a military family. On the surface it might not seem like we had much in common but in fact we did. He knew a lot about Rice and got a huge kick out of showing me things I didn’t know about. My understanding of the weird, twisty insides of the old Chemistry Building I owe completely to him. I can now worm my way in and out of places that I once didn’t know existed. He liked to tell stories and he shared my own sense of mischief. I’ve missed him since he left and will miss him more keenly now.

James Lang, Rest in Peace.

Update: Loyal reader Marty Merritt mentions James’s beloved Pontiac. It just so happens that I have a picture of it, parked right near Valhalla where James could keep an eye on it.

It must have seemed like a great idea at the time.

You have to zoom in for the full effect.

More to follow . . .

Bonus: Spring Break 2016–Raised Beds, Low Expectations.

I just sat down at my laptop after a couple of days away and realized quickly that I’d forgotten to tell you I’m on spring break this week. To all who inquired about my whereabouts, sorry!

In any event, I’m on spring break this week. I’ll be back no later than Monday, probably earlier. Hell, maybe even tomorrow. But to keep everyone’s spirits up until that unknown time, here are some pictures of Clown Night at Autry Court, at a 1979 meeting of Rice and the University of Texas. This I’d like to see more of:

That looks like the esteemed Dr. Bill Martin at below right, no?

Also, doesn’t that look like Bucky Alshouse right smack in the middle of the picture?