I couldn't resist that play on words as I read of California School of Technology's win over Occidental in their season finale basketball game. It was 46-45 and Caltech's first conference win in 310 games! Their last conference win was in 1985. They do not give athletic scholarships. One plays to simply enjoy playing.
How can a school survive with such a poor athletic record? Easily when you are Caltech. This school was begun back in 1891 by Amos Throop. It set it's sights high in science and technology. Today they have an endowment of 1.55 billion dollars. There are 950 undergraduates and 2175 total students. First year students must live on campus. They have an honor code which allows faculty to ASSIGN take-home exams! The school opened to females in 1970. Today more than 40% are women.
Caltech is a world center for rocket science. Mount Palomar is associated with them. In 1930-1931 a professor named Albert Einstein was a visiting teacher. First-year graduates are employed at an average salary of $69,500.00. Get this: Among their alumni and faculty are THIRTY- ONE recipients of a NOBEL PRIZE!
All work and no play for Caltech students? Wrong. They are great for fun days such as Ditch Day planned by seniors; and the Halloween Pumpkin Drop. One year they changed that old sign saying " Hollywood" in Los Angeles to read "Caltech". Another earth-shaking event was at the 1961 Rose Bowl. It was popular back then to have card displays operated by hundreds of students. At given signals the cards gave out messages for their team. Somehow they managed to have the signs to read "Caltech" once during that game.
You could probably get together a group of guys from playground courts to beat Caltech at basketball, but don't challenge their women's ping-pong team. They are ranked 44 out of 200 collegiate teams playing that table sport.
So, Caltech finished their season with a conference win." Way to go, Orange and White!" It isn't how you win or lose, it's how you soar your rocket. Get ready for this: The school MOTTO is "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free". (Sound familiar?)
