Monday, July 11, 2011

UMass Amherst

Nestled in western Massachusetts is UMass Amherst, the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system. Hal Grotevant, a UMass professor, posted some pictures on Facebook that he had taken on campus, and he has kindly agreed to let me repost them here.

In the background is the iconic Old Chapel, a structure that apparently is badly in need of infrastructure repair.


Along with its quaint architecture, UMass also features more modern styles. Shown below is a montage of Tobin Hall, the psychology building.




UMass's W.E.B. Dubois Library, the tallest library in the U.S. at 26 stories, is famous for its falling brick chips. I had read many years ago that engineers had failed to take into account the weight of the books when calculating the physical strength requirements of the floors. The engineering flaw theory, however, may just be an urban legend. I visited UMass Amherst once, in 1996, and there were some areas outside the library that were fenced off to prevent pedestrians from walking where there may be falling brick.

Also in the realm of legends is the Minuteman Statue, shown next. Students apparently find the statue a source of good luck before exams. 


Lastly, we have the Campus Pond, a UMass landmark in warm weather and in cold.