[Magdalen] ATTN The Scotts !!!

[Michael Bishop]

In years gone by it was no easier for boys. Back in the 1960's - I never 
possessed a pair of long trousers until I was about 14. School rules 
required boys to wear shorts and banned long trousers - even in the 
coldest winter  until we reached age 14.

God bless

.....
.....
Michael Bishop
rev at michaelbishop.name

On 31/01/2019 6:18 pm, Scott Knitter wrote:
> Young Michigan State students are typically aghast when told that up until
> the early 1970s, women had to wear a skirt or dress, and men a dress shirt
> (and possibly tie) to dinner in the dorms; and women were not allowed to
> march in the Spartan Marching Band. When I marched in 1978, some of my
> colleagues in the saxophone section were some of the first women admitted.
> They typically were the best marchers and saxophonists in the band.
>
> Things were quite different, not so very long ago (well, it was long ago,
> but not SO VERY long ago, right?).
>
> On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 11:39 AM Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> My freshman year of college was spent at a small church-affiliated (UCC)
>> school where women were expected to wear skirts or dresses to class and in
>> the dining hall. In cold weather we always hoped for "pants permission" so
>> we could wear slacks (never jeans!) and would cluster around the dorm
>> bulletin boards hoping to see a notice to that effect. When I transferred
>> to UW-Madison, women were still mostly wearing skirts and dresses but we
>> didn't wait for permission to change into cold weather clothing when the
>> weather became ridiculously cold. Climbing Bascom Hill with the icy winds
>> off Lake Mendota was not something one wanted to endure in a miniskirt!
>>
>> Cady, up there we called it "Shambana". (g/d/r)
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 12:13 PM Roger Stokes via Magdalen <
>> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>>
>>> On 31/01/2019 16:34, Scott Knitter wrote:
>>>> I think I read that there's an actual system of gas lines to provide
>> fire
>>>> to the tracks near switches (where a piece of track moves to divert the
>>>> train one way or another). The main thing is to get rid of ice and snow
>>>> that might block the switch from switching, which would make it
>>> impossible
>>>> for the train to take the intended route, or worst case, might derail a
>>>> train.
>>> I don't know if they've changed to fixed lines as I haven't seen them
>>> for a few years but this side of the pond they used to have propane
>>> heaters for the same purpose.
>>>
>>>> I think there's also an issue with the flexibility of the
>>> rails...Normally,
>>>> rails have some "give" to allow for shifts in weight, different train
>>>> speeds, etc., and that's why the tracks have to be periodically
>> measured
>>>> and adjusted to maintain a precise width apart (I think there are
>> devices
>>>> that ride the rails and help do this, or at least the measurements).
>> Some
>>>> tracks are continuously welded, so there are no gaps, but others are
>>> bolted
>>>> in in sections, with tiny gaps. If ultra-freezing weather happens, the
>>>> flexibility the rails have goes away, and sections of rail can go out
>> of
>>>> alignment with others, with danger of derailment.
>>> A few months ago there was a series of TV programmes about Paddington
>>> station in London. One section was about replacing a length of cracked
>>> rail and their problem was the heat last Summer. Obviously this would
>>> make the rail stretch and if it was too hot they were beyond the ability
>>> of the fastenings to keep the rail the right length without buckling.
>>> Nowadays we have concrete rather than wooden ties in most places but
>>> someone still needs to walk the lines to look for any problems,
>>> preferably before they become an issue for the trains.
>>>
>>> Roger
>>>
>>>
>>>
>