When Physics and Classical Archaeology Converged

In 1895, at the memorial service for Augustus Chapman Merriam, Professor of Archaeology and Epigraphy, one of the speakers was Ogden Nicholas Rood, Professor of Physics. He started his remarks by stating: “One would suppose that there was no possible connection between archaeology and physics.” But both professors shared a commitment to scrupulous and deliberative […]

Read More…

Federico García Lorca: #DormLife in 1929

What was Columbia dorm life like in the 1920s? To hear one student, the views from the dorm rooms are great, the food is plenty, but laundry is pricey. Federico García Lorca was a student at Columbia during the summer session and fall semester in 1929. In his letters home, he described his life on […]

Read More…

Now Available | Thomas McGoey Papers

The Thomas A. McGoey papers have been processed and are available to users. Over a long career at Columbia, McGoey served as Director of Residence Halls and Dining Rooms, Business Manager, Vice President for Business, and Special Consultant to the President. He worked for 5 University Presidents and for more than 35 years. But before […]

Read More…

New Acquisition | 1880s Chemistry Set of Harmon Cozzens (1885 EM)

In the 1880s, students in the School of Mines (now Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science) had chemistry requirements in their first two years. One doesn’t usually think about what that may have entailed in the 19th century, but apparently it often included purchasing a large wooden box of standard chemicals and tools […]

Read More…

The Name Columbia College

Every year on October 31, Columbia College celebrates Charter Day, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the College’s charter. This is the anniversary of the original royal charter of 1754, but not of the current charter which has been in place since April 13, 1787. But in between those two, there was the little-remembered, […]

Read More…