Old school: U-M in History

July 25, 2011

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Modern dance

A group of women physical education students perform a modern dance routine, circa 1940-49. The site, unidentified in the photo, likely is Barbour Gymnasium on North University, on the east end of the Diag. For years it was home to all indoor women’s physical education activities. Built in 1895-96, the gym was demolished in 1977 to make way for expansion of the Chemistry Building. — Courtesy Bentley Historical Library

This month in history (158 years ago)

On his way to establishing the U-M Detroit Observatory, in July 1853 U-M President Henry Tappan ordered a meridian circle telescope from Pistor & Martins and a sidereal clock from M. Tiede. Land was obtained for a site to build the observatory and the site was surveyed. Construction began the next month. The dome turns manually by means of a rope pulley, and the original astronomical instruments remain intact and operational, including the meridian circle and the telescopes, which in their day were among the largest in the world. — Courtesy Bentley Historical Library

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