Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Light of Learning

On Saturday we took advantage of a gorgeous day to walk around Younger Daughter’s future home starting in mid-August: The University of Pittsburgh, fondly known to us as Pitt.

Our purpose: to find the location of all of YD’s classes.  My discovery: Pitt has loads of light fixtures.  My camera thought they were interesting.


A few blocks away from the center of campus

From the bottom of the steps on Forbes, heading up to Holland dorm and Litchfield Towers dorms.


Pitt is a vertical campus.  At the center of campus is the Cathedral ofLearning.  My daughter informs me that “everyone calls it Cathy”.  But I shall call it “Hogwarts.”



WHY is there this little traffic light on the sidewalk
outside the Cathedral of Learning?!

A suitably ancient looking light fixture outside the Cathedral

See - when you go inside, you can tell
 it's really Hogwarts. 

Light fixtures of the Cathedral of Learning Commons Room


The Cathedral of Learning has these “nationality rooms" which are each decorated in the style of a particular nationality. My daughter is going to have a class in The Austrian Room, with these light fixtures!  Just try and concentrate on academics in there, surrounded by all that Austrian glam. 

Chandeliers in the Austrian Room

Outside the Cathedral of Learning

Natural light fixture in the sky

Now we head over to Clapp Hall, where most of the biology classes are.
Regal-looking light fixture outside Clapp Hall

Inside Clapp Hall, the light fixtures are more modern-like.
That's the Common Household Husband and Younger Daughter,
making a rare appearance on the blog.

I forget where this one is. SOOO many light fixtures!

Outside Alumni Hall

A different sort of light

At the front door of Alumni Hall
This might not be an actual light fixture.
We decided to call it
"The Sphere of Influence".

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial, and lamp post

Lamp posts on the plaza outside Litchfield Towers

The pedestrian bridge over Forbes Avenue

And finally, the "Forbes Digital Plaza".  I think this looks
more interesting at night, and at Christmas.

Lucem Accepimus, Lucem Demus – “We received light, let us give light”   is the motto of my high school (the oldest extant public all-girls high school in the United States). 

I think that motto could also apply to this campus. 

May the light of knowledge carry YD forward.

8 comments:

Angie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Angie said...

Great pics, CHM! And I love the Cathedral of Learning!

Alexia said...

It looks like a wonderful place to learn. Thank you for the interesting photos!

Joanne said...

Your blog is so much fun! Great memories of our visit on that hot hot day

Patience_Crabstick said...

Oh wow, the Cathedral of Learning is gorgeous! Good luck to your daughter!

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that campus was so beautiful! Wow, what an inspiring place to study. I wish all schools were designed to inspire and not just to "accommodate."

The Crislers said...

That is one beautiful campus, and I love all the light fixtures! Oh, and Hogwarts. How could one not call that place Hogwarts?

I have a number of shirts that read "Pitt" (the shortened name of my own much tinier school and alma mater); I will now think of you and your family when I wear them.

Is it terrible that I snorted when I read about Clapp Hall? And has it likewise been amusing generations of fellow immature students?

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I'm agog at how long ago the school was founded. Out here in the west, schools are at least 100 years younger. Somehow, though, I think all universities should have Hogwarts.