the first scrippsie philosopher

another library fun fact: hartley alexander burr, who was responsible for the iconography in the library’s design, was the founding chair of the philosophy department at scripps college in claremont. (the women’s college just south of harvey mudd college.)

when i saw that burr was responsible for the iconography, i mean that he worked with goodhue (the architect) and lee lawrie (the sculptor) to plan the library’s theme (“the light of learning”). he came up with the texts that are inscribed on the original building and incorporated into some of the sculptures. the three had first worked together on the state capitol in lincoln, nebraska. and goodhue and lawrie had worked together before on many projects, including the national academy of sciences building in washington, d.c.