THE UGA GLOBE
In the Beginning
You've all noticed the giant globe that lurks in the foyer of
the UGA Geography Department? Have you ever wondered just
where it came from and when it arrived? The blueprints for
the globe are dated 1959, and the globe was manufactured by
Rand McNally.
The Globe Attracts an Audience. In the past
many school children came to see the UGA globe. That was back
in the days when it still rotated (it was still working in 1988).
The globe has also been on national TV; it was the backdrop
for a video about world population and hunger. In 1983 an agreement
was reached to use the globe in a new kind of weather program
- three dimension, computer driven, video synthesized program
for network TV. It is unclear whether the globe was ever actually
used for this purpose. Basketball players used the globe to
identify where a tournament was to be held - publicity photos
showed them pointing to Japan.
So You Want Your Own Globe. Perhaps you aspire
to own your own seven foot globe. After all it would make a
great centerpiece for your home decor, and of course would be
the object of endless conversation. However, don't rush off
and place your order with Rand McNally. They no longer make
these giant globes, and the engineer who provided the expertise
for the gear mechanism is deceased. Only two globes with this
particular mechanism were made. The UGA globe's twin was purchased
by Princeton University.
An Impressive Edifice. The globe makes a lasting
impression on visitors. A professor from California State University
wrote to the Department in 1988, describing the globe as "very
attractive and imposing." He wanted to know where he could
order a similar globe.
The Globe is Still. It is not certain when
the Globe stoped rotating. Back in the days when it did move,
it spun slowly, simulating the Earth's daily rotation. But alas
it sits still today.
