MIT celebrates what it considers its 150 year anniversary -- MIT's charter was signed on April 10, 1861 (what does even that mean?) -- this weekend.
Which reminds me of two things:
- there's a good book on the founding and earliest history of MIT that I've not gotten around to reading, Stratton and Mannix, Mind and Hand: The Birth of MIT (2005). Stratton (1902-1994) 'was an MIT student, a faculty member, provost, chancellor, and Institute president from 1959 to 1966.' Mannix fished the book up after Stratton's death.
- My wife's great grandfather graduated from MIT in 1885 and went on to sit on MIT's board and be its treasurer (at the time not a full time job). One of the larger campus buildings is named after him, but I've never been in in. But her grandfather and father ended up going to Harvard.
I have a soft spot for MIT (and Caltech), but I have no real exposure to either institution or any understanding on how they are managing today's challenges.
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