University of Texas,
Main Building Physics Photo Album, 1932

 

All pictures (except the Main Building exterior photos) were taken by Charles Carver Raines (1914-84), a graduate student. He later worked for the Department of Astronomy in the 1960s. A few early Painter photos are included. Charles also captured a widely circulated photo associated with the 1935 Austin Flood. A house was carried over the Austin Dam. Charles C. Raines was in position, and photographed the dam collapse then rushed back to the University Physics Department to develop the film. Discovering that the film had not advanced on the sprockets and that the shot was lost, he returned to make this exposure.

These pictures were part of Professor Malcolm Colby’s photograph collection. They were generously made available by Carol Colby Baxter, Colby’s granddaughter; Steve Colby, his grandson and Molly Colby Williams, his great-granddaughter. Their kind help is much appreciated.

Old Main Building
Old Main Building, South Front Elevation
Second Year Physics Lab, Main Bldg, Rm # 157, ca. 1932
K-Hall Lecture Room with desk on elevating truck, 1932. Physics and Chemistry shared this hall. According to Professor Lockenvitz it was an old WWI barracks and “cold as hell” in the winter time. It was located at the current site of the lily pond west of Painter.
Main Lecture Room, Painter 1934
Physics 2 Lab for Women Students Rm #25, Main Building 1932
First Year Physics Lab, Main Building, Rm #24, 1932
Physics 1 Lab, Main Bldg Rm # 18, previously 2nd year physics lab. 1932
Heat Laboratory, Professor Arnold Romberg, Main Bldg., Rm 7, ca. 1932
Transformer Room, maybe for Colby’s X-ray Machine, Painter 1934
Temporary Radio Room #172-Main Bldg, 1932
Power Switch Board, Rm #9 Main Bldg, Case built in workshop 1903, Old chimney flue takes wires to geology and psychology labs on 3rd floor of East Wing. The hand wheel is connected to battery charging rheostat in the rear.

Hall in basement of Main Building, looking from east end. Seen are cases for distributing reports and cases on brackets for balances. Note stairs leading to central basement. 1932

Corner of Physics Library, Main Bldg, Room #9, ca. 1932
Kuehne at Desk in Optical Lab, Rm #5, Main Building 1932
Adjunct Professor Colby & Professor S. Leroy Brown, Main Bldg, ca.1932

Instructor Arthur E. Lockenvitz and Adjunct Professor Malcolm Y. Colby, in the temporary X-Ray lab in the center of the central basement of Old Main. 1932

Generator-Storage Battery Rm #12, Main Bldg. Generator donated by Southwest Bell Telephone Co.
Louis Gruber, Machinist, Main Bldg Shop
Adolph Gruber & L. Earl Dickens, Mechanicians, Storeroom in Main Bldg, Rm 19 & 20. 1932
Jack Cooper, Larkin Earl Deason, Thomas Sydney Edrington, and Prof. C. P. Boner. Main Bldg, “The Vault.” ca. 1932
Probably Y-Hall, Man on left appears to be Professor C. P. Boner.
“Shack” used by Physics, constructed about 1917-18, probably Y-Hall, east of the Main Building. S. L. Brown had a desk there and the first radio station, WSM, later KUT. Probably torn down in 1929 according to Lockenvitz.
Shackeresque from the 1933 Cactus yearbook