Dr. Crull (right) shows the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium telescope to two students

Description:	Dr. Harry E. Crull (right), Professor of Mathematics, Head of the Department of Mathematics at Butler University, and the first Director of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, shows the telescope to two students. The student looking through the telescope (center) is wearing a Spurs sweater. Spurs was an honorary organization of sophomore women at Butler University, requiring above average grades and participation in extra curricular activities. Installed in October 1954, this was not the Universitys first telescope. In 1896, a six-inch refractor telescope was donated to the University by Joseph I. Irwin, along with a small observatory on the Universitys Irvington campus. When the University moved to its current Fairview campus in 1928, the telescope was put into storage until 1934, when Irwins son, William Irwin, had the telescope rebuilt and installed on the roof of Jordan Hall. However, intermittent use due to a lack of astronomy faculty to teach courses saw the roof platform where the telescope was mounted and the telescope itself fall into disrepair, so the telescope was returned to storage. Reconditioned by J. W. Fecker, Inc., the smaller telescope became the guide telescope for the observatorys 38-inch telescope. The dome was constructed of laminated wood and powered by three Holcomb and Hoke stoker motor and drive units (the dome was replaced with an aluminum dome in 1984). According to the November 1957, edition of Butler Reports, an estimated 90,000 people visited the structure during its first three years (p. 7). Construction of the Indiana limestone Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium took approximately 18 months and fill dirt from the Ross Hall construction site (building opened September 12, 1954) was moved to this location, a high plot of land at the entrance to Holcomb Gardens. Dedicated on Friday, November 5, 1954, the structure was designed and planned by Arthur F. Lindberg, Butler University Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds; J. I. Holcomb, Vice President of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee; Robert Frost Daggett, consulting architect; the firm of Ammerman, Davis and Stout, consulting engineers; and Dr. Crull. On the dedication day, morning classes were shortened, and afternoon classes were cancelled so people could attend the dedication convocation, which was a part of the Homecoming festivities and the start of the celebrations for the Universitys centennial year. Reports vary, but the estimated cost of the building and the telescope was between $325,000 and $350,000, and J. I. and Musetta Holcomb provided the funding for the project.
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/2801
Collection:	Butler University Buildings and Grounds Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Geography:	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 39.841474, -86.171414 39.841474 -86.171414
Subjects:	Telescopes Cassegrainian telescopes College students Butler University--Faculty College teachers Butler University--Employees Handrails Observatories Observatory domes Planetariums Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History People Crull, Harry E., 1909-1972 James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Fairview campus

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