This past week saw the celebration of major holidays for at least two sizable populations on this campus. Sunday was Easter for most Christians in the community, one of a series of events detailing the story of Jesus Christ. For the Jews, last week began the festival of Passover, a commemoration of the exodus of the Hebrew population from Egypt. Particularly notable about these two celebrations are the rich stories that are told to accompany them, tales that propagate our individual histories and ensure that each of us can know our own heritage.
Such events are the exception, though, and not the norm. History, it has been said, is doomed to repeat itself. For all that repetition, however, civilization is far too quick to forget its past. RPI, in particular, is guilty of this crime; as a tech-school, we are apt to ignore the tales of yesteryear—both locally and on a more global scale.
I wouldn’t be amiss in calling here for a certain amount of change to the Institute’s curricula and for a greater number of history courses in the catalog. I think it’s something that would honestly do us well, and go far in creating the diverse student population that seems to be the universal goal amongst RPI’s movers and shakers. But that’s not my goal, here; rather, I would like to call on our students to go and do some research on their own. I present here a number of resources that can be called upon to become just a little more cultured and educated about our environs.
The State of New York has a long history, as far as states of this Union go. Its colonization began in the 1610s, and it played a central role in the French and Indian War. It played host to several famous battles of the Revolutionary War; the Battle of Saratoga was a major victory for the Americans that took place just outside Saratoga Springs (about 30 miles to the north of Troy). Beyond that, a plethora of New York memorabilia and dioramas portraying its history are available in the State Museum and archives, located across the river in Albany. The museum makes an excellent trip for a rainy weekend, and the Saratoga Spa State Park is ideal for an April or May picnic.
Troy itself has a rich background. It was central to the Industrial Revolution, and its booming textile industry earned it its nickname, the Collar City. Its glory days are long over, but there are signs of the city’s former greatness all over. For example, proceeding south on Fourth Street from campus will bring you to site of one of the water wheels, marked now by a mural across from the South End Tavern. Even just a walk downtown will reveal some absolutely fantastic architecture. I would suggest that anybody who hasn’t done so visit the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall; not only does it host some great artists and have legendary acoustics, it is a beautiful work of art in and of itself. Another notable historic landmark is the start of the Erie Canal with the Federal Dam just outside Troy and Lock Two of the canal in Waterford.
Finally, perhaps the most under-appreciated history on campus is that of the Institute itself. The Institute Archives are almost unknown amongst students, despite their prominent location in the Folsom Library. People don’t even have to leave their rooms, however, to get a better appreciation of RPI’s history. It needn’t even be without humor; I would suggest as required reading to all Rensselaer students the Not the Rensselaer Handbook, a parody of the official publication of similar title. Obtainable via a simple web search, it was written in 1985 and documents some of the more inane aspects of campus life at the time—aspects that might ring more true today than you would think.
I’ll close with just this one request: In the midst of your exams and final projects in the coming weeks, please go out and take a break to find out just a little more about the world around you. You won’t be disappointed.
