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History College Tour Rooms |
In 1957 Edgar Odell Lovett, first Rice President, initiated the college system, making Hanszen College one of the four original colleges. The college took the name Hanszen in honor of Harry Clay Hanszen, a member of the Rice University Board of Governors from 1946-1950, and whose wealth came from his ventures in the oil industry.
Hanszen was once known as the "Gentelmans's College," because members, then all-male, were required to wear neckties to dinner. However, by the 1960's most students just wore a piece of string around their necks. The tradition was stopped when a student protested by wearing only a necktie to dinner.
Hanszen was first on campus (along with Lovett College) to open to both genders in 1973. Hanszen males took advantage of the change in the early 1980's to develop the men's drill team, which performed at powderpuff football games.
In 1975, tragedy struck Hanszen College when the Commons burned to the ground. It seems that a large pile of mattresses put there while renovating Old Section was ignited, possibly by a worker's cigarette. Hanszen students ate their meals in the Grand Hall until a new Commons was built. Hanszenites embraced the change, happily adopting the nickname "The Uncollege," created by other colleges. This attitude, this tribute to the fact that life is not always about grades and internships, but also camaraderie, hospitality, and fun, is a well-recorded phenomena in the annals of Hanszen history, and continues to this day.
Hanszen College has made some fairly important contributions to the development of Rice. For instance, Hanszen founded the Rice Coffeehouse in what is now the Weenie Loft. Started in the late 1960's, the "Corner of the Dreaming Monkey" would fill a major caffeine need for the Rice community. It was closed when Willy's Pub opened in 1975 and became a haven for social culture. Additionally, our campus-wide radio station started when some students altered the room buzzer system that ran throughout Hanszen into a radio transmission network. (Rice students do innovative stuff like that when they have the will and too much free time.) The university would eventually recognize the presence of the radio network and reward it with the facilities and equipment that allowed it to become the area-wide station that exists today.
The Weenie Loft, located on the fourth floor of Old Section, got its name because students who studied there all the time were once called "weenies." The B & P, is short for Breadsticks and Pomegranates, is located in the basement of New Section. Its name is in honor of the old coffeehouse in Hanszen, which was eventually renamed from the The Corner of the Dreaming Monkey.
Though long ago Hanszen was known as the "Gentlemen's College" and "The Uncollege," we have now become known as the "Family College," a reflection of the close and caring relations among its members. The present building housing the college office, commons, and servery was erected in 2002 and is a beautiful modern space where you will experience hours of games, fun, and bonding.
These links will be updated soon. Please check back.
The Commons
The Quad
Old Section
New Section
The 'Burbs'