This post is a student contribution from Claudia Moser’s class ARCH 1764: 25 Things! 250 Years of Brown’s Material Past

On Friday evening I attended the 250^th anniversary celebration on the main green that culminated with a grandiose firework display. The gathering was the first of many celebrations over the weekend honoring the anniversary and it turned into a massive affair. I arrived at the event shortly before President Paxson began to speak. I was not able to hear what she was saying unfortunately as I was not close enough to the stage but there was a loud roar when she declared Brown “the Ivy League champion of fun”. At the time it was a medium sized gathering but nothing exceptional. Every minute though it seemed more and more people started to fill in, and before I knew it I looked back and college green was completely packed. People were filling college green from every direction in anticipation of the firework display. After President Paxson finished speaking we were treated to a prayer by the University Chaplain, remarks from politicians and board members, and finally a word poem from a student group.  My main critique of the event lies here as standing in the crowd I was unable to hear anything that was being said on stage. Speaking to many of my fellow students who were at the event they were similarly annoyed and perplexed. Given all the preparation that went into setting up the event, one would think they would make sure to have a sound system that enabled attendees to hear sufficiently. Ultimately, all of the proceedings besides the firework display were impractical and irrelevant without being able to hear. One of the coolest features of the night was the cake the university had made for the event. The majestic cake, a model of University Hall, was 650 pounds and an astonishing 1,400 pieces (somehow I still didn’t get one!). The fireworks were the main reason most people attended the event and they did not disappoint. The pyrotechnics display was grand, spanning about five full minutes and leaving one thinking they were at a New Years party at a hotel rather than at a university party. On the side of the Stephen Roberts Center a display appeared in blazing white flames spelling out “250+”. As the fireworks spewed from the roof of the center, the fireworks illuminated the whole green. I have seen many large firework displays but left extremely impressed by what I had seen. The overcast sky and chilly weather gave the fireworks a different, more unique feel than previous pyrotechnic displays I had seen. The finale was grand, culminating with the “250+” appearing again but this time in gold flames. All in all I thought it was a nice event and a good precursor to start off the celebratory weekend by the university. People who attended the event seemed to genuinely to enjoy it and left with smiles on their faces. I was only able to attend one other event all weekend unfortunately, but many other students who I spoke with who attended many of the weekend’s events said the firework display was their highlight.

This post is a student contribution from Claudia Moser’s class ARCH 1764: 25 Things! 250 Years of Brown’s Material Past

When first deciding which aspect of the celebration to attend, I was unsure how the weekend would correlate to what we have learned and discussed throughout the semester.  Therefore, I decided to attend a few different events starting with the first one, remarks by the World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim.

Jim Yong Kim’s event was highly anticipated and had limited seating, forcing me to stream the lecture from my computer at home.  Attending the lecture via computer proved to have some flaws, for the display was interrupted every so often, and I would have to refresh the page.  At first, I did not think much of this hindrance, yet by the end of the speech I started to notice a connection with our class discussions.

Just before questions, Jim Yong Kim asked the audience to remember how we felt at that very moment, to remember what we are passionate for and that we can change the world.  While this may have been the feeling within the room of the lecture hall, the removed lens through which I was watching did not allow me to feel the same emotions.  I felt somewhat disconnected from the entire process of celebrating Brown’s 250^th anniversary.

I experienced the same feeling during the questions segment of the lecture.  One student asked how he would be able to get in touch with someone such as Mr. Kim; Mr. Kim responded that he should come down to the front of the room and take one of his business cards.  I realized if I’d wanted to do the same from my seat, it would have been practically impossible.  It was perhaps at this moment that I finally started to agree with Walter Benjamin.

During our class discussions, I argued vehemently against Benjamin, stating that there was authenticity in reproduction and the removed perspective.  However, after experiencing this lecture, I may have to change my viewpoint. Perhaps the lecture should not have been streamed for mass audience and instead limited to those who had tickets.  I was missing that one element of presence in time and space, and that lack of aura caused me to dislike the lecture.  It is my assumption that, had I been in the room, I would have a very different attitude towards the remarks.

This Tiffany sword has been returned to Brown University, and will be on display at the Annmary Brown Memorial.

Today marks the return of a Brown “thing” to the Brown campus.  In her article, “Brown University Celebrates the Return of Rush Hawkins’ Sword“, Courtney Coelho writes that the Brown Library will welcome back a Civil War-era silver sword that belonged to Rush Hawkins.  The sword was stolen in 1977.

http://blogs.brown.edu/libnews/brown-university-celebrates-the-return-of-rush-hawkins-sword

Artist Nick Bibby has created a 10-foot bronze Kodiak bear installed on Ittleson Quadrangle Monday morning, Oct. 28.

Brown is adding a new “thing” to our campus.  Courtney Coelho’s article, “Brown to install ‘Indomitable’ bear,” shares the installation schedule for this “latest public art incarnation of Brown’s bear mascot”: http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/10/bear

And Coelho’s follow-up article on the statue’s installation on October 28th gives some background on the choice of artist and location, as well as on the history behind the Brown mascot.  According to the Encyclopedia Brunoniana, Theodore Francis Greene, Class of 1887,  was the primary advocate for adoption of the bear as Brown’s mascot in 1904.  The article quotes a relevant passage from the Encyclopedia about choosing this mascot:

“While it may be somewhat unsociable and uncouth, it is good natured and clean. While courageous and ready to fight, it does not look for trouble for its own sake, nor is it bloodthirsty. It is not one of a herd, but acts independently. It is intelligent and capable of being educated.”

“Indomitable” is 14 feet tall, and according to Coelho, is “reportedly the largest bronze sculpture of a bear ever made in Britain”!

http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/10/indomitable