Dear curious,

The old Hydraulics Lab is the stone building beneath the Triphammer Falls, which can be seen from the Thurston Avenue bridge --not to be confused with the hydroplant (see the archives) that can be seen from the Suspension Bridge.

The lab was authorized in 1896 to study water's behavior and included a canal for testing ship models.  As part of its creation, a new dam was built above the falls, higher up than the original dam (built by yours truly-Ezra Cornell), which created what we know as Beebe Lake.  According to Morris Bishop, in 1898 the U.S. Deep Waterways Commission detailed an engineer to study the flow of waters over weirs (dams) and paid the cost of his investigations.  This study was the first instance of government-sponsored research in engineering at Cornell!

The lab was actively used for many years, and reconstruction was done in 1961-62 but over time the structure fell into disrepair and has not been used for several decades.  From its inception, the Hydraulics Lab was actively used for research, and today students and faculty continue to study this field using the DeFrees Hydraulics Laboratory, across from the Law School.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

Lynah Rink.  It is collected when the zamboni surfaces the ice.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

The answer to your question, like so many academic-related questions here at CU is, "it depends."  If you are considering changing your course of study, I would recommend that you first consult the Courses of Study book to review the requirements for the program that you are interested in.  With every subject there are always a few courses that do not muster our enthusiasm, so it is wise to be aware of the good and the bad that you will be taking.  If the new direction still piques your interest, then your next step would be to discuss your plans with your advisor to determine the next course of action.  Have you taken a course or two to explore the new major?  Are you ready to jump into it 100%?  If the answer is the latter, depending on the transfer you may have to go through varying steps (changing within your school is usually much simpler than changing between colleges).  If it is a change between colleges like you mention above, you may want to also meet with Vivian Geller in the Internal Transfer Division (ITD).  There are 60-70 students each semester enrolled in "ITD," which can be a mid-way stop from one college to the next, but there applications to complete and rules to be followed, so the decision must be discussed and understood thoroughly. 

I wish you the best of luck, wherever the academic road may take you.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear ggggreat student,

Please contact the Financial Aid office with your question. There may be special circumstances they would need to ask you about, so I cannot give you an answer that would necessarily fit your case.  I hope things go well for you.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Daniel,

Please check with your RA so they can make sure everything is safe.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear heat,

You can call NYSEG to get a reading from your specific space for past years.  It depends on whether you have gas or electric or oil heat, how well the space is insulated, how low you keep the thermostat, how often you're home, etc.  Checking with NYSEG is your safest bet, as heating bills can really vary from one house to another, particularly in some of the older rental properties.  If you dress in layers, using polarfleece and wool, and pile the blankets on (down is a great insulator), and keep your feet warm, you can keep the bills low.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear vines,

Your confusion is well founded.  The term "Ivy League" seems to have two meanings, the ubiquitous "prestigious Northeastern university evoking images of ivy covered buildings, sage professors, and inquisitive young minds" and the true meaning, "an athletic conference sponsoring championships in 33 men's and women's sports, and averaging more than 35 varsity teams at each school."  The Ivy League schools are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale, which together form an athletic conference like the Big 10 or SEC.  What sets them apart from other conferences is a set of shared standards most notably awarding need-based financial aid, with no athletic scholarships. 

So how did we become the Ivy League and not the Northeastern Athletic Conference or some other title?  Morris Bishop wrote, in a History of Cornell, "In 1901 the Intercollegiate League was formed by Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Cornell.  (This, says Bob Kane, was the first intercollegiate athletic league and the origin of that indefinable entity, the Ivy League)."  Some say the number of schools (4 or IV) transcended into I-V or ivy, others believe it was the image of those hallowed ivy-covered walls.  According to the Ivy League website, (http://www.ivyleaguesports.com >> What is the Ivy League >> History), Stanley Woodward of the New York Herald Tribune first used the phrase "Ivy colleges" in print to descript the eight current Ivy schools plus Army.  And in 1935, AP sports editor first used the exact term "Ivy League."  But it wasn't until 1945, that the eight schools signed the first Ivy Group Agreement, which applied only to football, and in 1954 the agreement was extended to all intercollegiate sports.  Sometimes the Ivies are called "the Ancient Eight" given their founding dates (Cornell is the babe at 1865, Harvard was found in 1636 and the rest were established in the 1700s).  For historical reference, remember that the Declaration of Independence wasn't signed until 1776!

And finally, what makes Cornell so special among these schools?  Here in the College of Agriculture and Life Science we grow the ivy!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Carolyn,

Have you spent much time on the Cornell campus?  It's amazing when you look at those old photos to see how much the campus landscape has changed.  Even in the past 30 years, the campus vistas have shifted dramatically with the addition of so many new buildings.  While I cannot offer you any appraising services I can tell you some places you might go to have your book evaluated.  Locally, a trip to the DeWitt Mall downtown to either the Bookery or Past Times may yield some information for you.  The Bookery sells new and used books and Past Times sells all sorts of antiques.  Anyone that's never been to these stores should make a trip sometime, and be sure to stop in at the Cafe DeWitt for a latte along the way. 

If you are not local, you may wish to search E-Bay for a possible price.  Yes, E-Bay where people by everything from boats to belt buckles is a wonderful resource for Cornelliana, my collector friends report.  One Cornelliana collector recalls seeing this book priced anywhere from $45-$125.  E-Bay is also a great resource for Cornell alumni wishing to begin their own Cornelliana collection, even with limited funds.  Good luck with your research. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear student,

Within the different graduate and professional fields of study, the criteria and areas of emphasis for admission may vary.  Then, even within a particular field, each school has their own admissions requirements.  If you would like more information about the graduate or professional schoool process, or if you would like some guidance about how to make your application the best it can be, please make an appointment to speak with the friendly staff in Cornell Career Services.  Jane Levy is a great resource for Law and other graduate programs.  Judy Jensvold can review the medical fields, including Cornell's own internal evaluation committee.  Good luck to you during your time here --and beyond.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear grateful,

You can repay Cornell by doing well, helping to make the world a better place, and making our name good out there. You can be an Alumni Ambassador and interview interested prospective students in your area. And of course, support the Cornell Annual Fund, to help us continue to help people like you.  Visit http://www.alumni.cornell.edu for more ways to get involved with Cornell and other Cornellians in your community.  Miss you!

Uncle Ezra