Happy anniversary, Rensselaer. Tomorrow, September 24, 2007, is the eighth anniversary of the arrival of Shirley Jackson. This is probably an appropriate time to remember what her formal welcome entailed.
Shirley Jackson declared that every VIP was to be picked up in a Lincoln town cars rented exclusively for the occasion. None of the faculty on the inauguration committee were allowed to use their own vehicles for the purpose. Shirley Jackson also declared that each of the roughly 900 guests receive a hand-crafted Steuben vase as a party favor, which cost approximately $60 each. When she was told she would have to pay for the party favors out of pocket, her taste suddenly shifted towards something more low-key (I believe it was a 50 cent bookmark).
The ultimate pricetag was upwards of $2 million dollars.
