Comparing notes
Yesterday, for the first time in history, four types of collating devices were assembled in the same room. The Special Collections Reading Room in Alderman Library displayed a Hinman, Lindstrand Comparator and McLeod Portable collator -- and also showed off the newest collator, invented by College doctoral student Carter Hailey.
Collators make it possible for two copies of a text to be compared letter by letter so that any differences in supposedly identical copies can be discovered. Scholars have used collators to compare different Shakespeare folios, for example.
"Collators allow you to compare images and discover the history behind every detail variant," English Prof. David Vander Meulen said.
Charles Hinman, who received his Ph.D. from the University in 1941, developed the first collator to compare WWII reconnaissance photos. About a dozen of his models remain in use today. Over time, two smaller and less expensive collators entered the field, making it easier for scholars to get access to the devices.
Hailey, who is studying the medieval narrative poem "Piers Plowman," developed the newest collator incarnation in an effort to make a more portable and affordable model.
"I worked on this project for a long time, mostly just thinking about the design," Hailey said. "I was planning a trip to England and wanted to be able to carry it with me on the plane and to various libraries. One day, I was walking by some lamps and I got the idea to use the base of angle-poised lamps."
The lamps' mobility makes it easier for users to make minor adjustments in mirror placement and makes it easier to scan the page for typographical variations.
"With this model, I can do a page in a matter of seconds," Hailey said.
Master of comedy
Old Cabell Hall was filled with the sound of laughter last night as The Amazing Jonathan amused a crowd of over 500 with his crazy antics.
The Amazing Jonathan boasts a unique prop, comedy, magic and variety act that has been featured on such programs as Comedy Central's "Lounge Lizards."
"We previewed tapes of The Amazing Jonathan's Act," said Dean Dodson, third-year College student and University Union comedy and variety committee chairman. We "thought it would be fun to bring him to the University."
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