Monday, July 03, 2006

The first field trip of the ACC program was a campus tour, which lasted for about one hour. Two senior undergraduate students were our tour guide, who told us interesting facts about CMU and also the answers to the following questions:
  1. What is the Cut? Why does it have this name?
  2. The Cut, the grassy area of campus between Forbes Avenue and Hunt Library, was originally the ravine that separated campus in the early days.
  3. When was the University Center built?
  4. 1994
  5. What is the myth of Hammerschlag's nose?
  6. Hammerschlag's noseArthur A. Hamerschlag was the school's first president from 1903 to 1922. His nose on a copper portrait in Baker Hall is always shining, because students rub it for luck in final exams.
  7. Why does Baker Hall have corridors with tilted floors?
  8. Legend has it that the building was designed with a sloped hallway, so that if the school wasn't a success, the building could be converted into a factory with a gravity-operated assembly line.
  9. Is there a swimming pool on Carnegie Mellon's campus? Where?
  10. Yes, the swimming pool is inside the University Center (UC).
  11. What is the Fence? What is its significance?
  12. The Fence was once the boarder of Carnegie Technical Schools (all male) and Margaret Morrison Carnegie School for Women. After they became Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1912, the Fence was turned into an unofficial billboard for student groups. Painting the Fence has since become a tradition of Carnegiee Mellon.
  13. What was the Margaret Morrison building originally used for? Who was Margaret Morrison?
  14. The building was used for Margaret Morrison Carnegie School for Women. Margaret Morrison was Andrew Carnegie's mother.
  15. What is the newest building on Carnegie Mellon's campus?
  16. Posner Center opened in 2004
  17. Why is there an unobstructed view of Hunt Library from Forbes Avenue? What was the main building material used in Hunt Library?
  18. Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Hunt donated $2.8 million for the Hunt Library in 1960. Because the Hunts were prominent in the aluminum industry, they specified that the architect use aluminum wherever possible in the plans. They also requested that there should be an unobstructed view of Hunt Library from Forbes Avenue. Therefore they could see their donation on their way to work.
  19. Have any movies ever been made on Carnegie Mellon's campus? Which ones?
  20. There is a list on Wikipedia.

2 comments:

Roni & Cindy said...

Thanks for the posts and pictures. Keep'em coming!!

Allen Hsu said...

Why am I writing this comment? I should be posting another blog entry.