Using an early computer terminal, the Datel 30, in 1970. Storytime with Corey The ‘Trolley,’ Slide Rules, and Rotary Phones: Big Red Tech History Once upon a time, in an era long before the Internet, students absorbed the impacts of other innovations—like lights in the library By Corey Ryan Earle ’07 “Today, the computer can do more than ever on its own—but man can still pull the plug.” At least that was the case in 1965, when Cornell Computing Center director John Rudan spoke about computing during a talk in the Straight. From slide rules to calculators, email to cell phones, each generation of Cornellians has faced new and evolving technologies, often with a mix of enthusiasm and fear. And while it may feel like we’re experiencing unprecedented technological change in the 21st century, it’s hardly the first time the University community has weathered such storms. It was, of course, technological innovation that helped create Cornell. In the mid-1800s, the electrical telegraph radically changed communication, finance, journalism, and other industries. Founder Ezra was an early tech innovator, and his contributions—from building the first telegraph lines and designing glass insulators to pitching potential investors—laid the foundation for a telecom revolution and the eventual formation of Western Union, where he made his fortune. The trolley crosses the Arts Quad in 1895. But as anyone who has ever tried to install a printer can attest, new tech often poses unexpected problems. For example, enthusiasm in 1892 about bringing Ithaca’s new electric railway (or “trolley”) to campus was tempered by concerns about the “unsightly poles and wires, and noisy, cumbersome cars,” according to one Daily Sun editorial. In 1886, the installation of incandescent lights in the University library, then in McGraw Hall, meant more open hours for the studious. But within months, Cornellians began carping about them. “There is much complaint among students who are doing evening work in the library, at the unsteadiness of the electric lights,” noted the Daily Sun. “They burn quite dimly and often die out entirely for five or 10 minutes at a time.” Enthusiasm in 1892 about bringing Ithaca’s new electric railway (or “trolley”) to campus was tempered by concerns about the “unsightly poles and wires, and noisy, cumbersome cars,” according to one Daily Sun editorial. Cornell’s libraries have been the testing ground for other innovations over the decades, like the pneumatic tube and paging system that distinguished Olin at its opening in 1961. But those tubes broke within the first year, necessitating repairs, and a grad student complained in an op-ed about the “voracious appetite” of the tubes, which “gobbled up” his request cards. The 1890s were a time of bowler hats and newfangled electric lights in the library. In 1965, the year Cornell’s pioneering computer science department was founded, the Daily Sun pondered the future “automatic library”: “Can computers replace bookshelves? Can IBM data processing machines condense all the vast information of a library into a teacup?” Benjamin White, a visiting professor of psychology, predicted that the library “as a thing to go to may be passé,” since “information could be relayed by telephonic links to a series stations.” A pneumatic carrier from Olin. Sound familiar? While smartphones are ubiquitous today, in 1930 the installation of 840 rotary telephones in dorm rooms was major news. Routed through a Sage Hall switchboard, the network—replacing a previous system of just 76 pay phones in dorm hallways—was one of the largest in the country. As the Daily Sun noted of the earlier system: “Whenever the phones rang—and it was difficult to tell which phone was ringing—everyone within range would run to see if it was for him. Even if it wasn’t he usually stayed around to hear the conversation.” The privacy was short-lived, however. To cut ballooning costs, private room phones were replaced with corridor units in 1952—about one phone per eight students. While the women’s residences could call outside the University, phones in men’s dorms could only access the Cornell network, allegedly because pranksters were charging toll calls to fictitious names. (Separate pay phones were installed for outside calls.) Clara Dickson Hall once featured in-room phones (seen at far left, circa 1955) … … and in engineering classrooms of the early ’60s, slide rules were de rigueur. “Telephones are the source of an awful lot of irritation, and an awful lot of noise, and today’s students are absolutely dependent on them,” Milton Shaw, director of housing and dining, said in 1964—a sentiment that’s perhaps just as applicable to today’s smartphones. The following decade, the arrival of pocket electronic calculators caused consternation among some faculty. Telephones are the source of an awful lot of irritation, and an awful lot of noise, and today’s students are absolutely dependent on them. Milton Shaw, director of housing and dining, in 1964 “Assignments that used to take entire evenings can be done in an hour or two,” observed the Daily Sun in 1974. Professors found themselves rewriting homework and exams to ensure they tested ideas, not just arithmetic. A Cornell Store employee noted that the new device’s popularity had “killed the market on slide rules.” “Computer Services” in 1985. In 1982, the University announced what it considered the first U.S. course to integrate writing techniques with computerized word processing—which, as one student observed, had an obvious advantage over typewriters. “If you want to change a paragraph,” they said, “you don’t have to [re-]type the whole report.” While most were enthusiastic, the Cornell Chronicle explained that “the computer did not evoke enthusiasm from everyone.” One student noted, “I just have a mental block about mixing computers with creativity,” while others complained about long waits for terminals. Mann Library opened its first computer lab in 1984. When the Class of ’98 arrived in fall 1994, it became the first in which every student was granted a NetID and email address instead of having to request them individually. When the Class of ’98 arrived in fall 1994, it became the first in which every student was granted a NetID and email address instead of having to request them individually. The email takeover was swift and all-encompassing. “If anyone had told me five years ago that such a thing as an email addiction existed, I would have laughed,” a student wrote in the 2000 Cornellian yearbook, adding: “This is days faster than snail mail.” Toting a dot-matrix printer during Move-In, fall 1989. While email addiction continues in some form today, the last quarter-century has brought plenty of new tech—and new distractions—into the classroom. Wi-fi, laptops, smartphones, social media, and now artificial intelligence have transformed teaching and learning. But like their predecessors, Cornellians will evolve with the times. An expert on Big Red lore, Corey Ryan Earle ’07 teaches “The First American University,” a wildly popular spring semester course on Cornell history. Top: Using an early computer terminal, the Datel 30, in 1970. (All images courtesy of Rare and Manuscript Collections) Published July 16, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Campus & Beyond This One’s for You, Dog Lovers: A Photo Tour of Westminster 6 Questions For ... In the New Year, Avoid ‘Specialness Spirals’ (and Practice Self-Gifting) Quizzes & Puzzles Cornellian Crossword: ‘Hall-Oh!’