Management pointers by Lewis Carroll

"Long and painful experience has taught me one great principle in managing business for people, viz, if youQuad at Christ Church, Oxford University want to inspire confidence, give plenty of statistics. It does not matter that they should be accurate, or even intelligble, so long as there are enough of them." Lewis Carroll wrote in Three Years in a Curatorship by One Who Has Tried It (1886).

Among other things that Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) accomplished at Christ Church Oxford was to supervise the Common Room where faculty would gather for afernoon tea, or a glass or claret. He was responsible for ordering the supplies including a stock of wine with more than 20,000 bottles. Being detailed and fastidious, he also looked to improve the ventilation, lighting and furniture in the Commons Room. He describes this as improving "Airs, Glares, and Chairs." He wanted the room to be cheerful and efficient.A Commons Room today for senior students at Christ Church

The pamphlet, Three Years in a Curatorship by One Who Has Tried It, records his attempts to keep the Oxford dons well supplied and contented. With Carroll in command, the Commons room was cheerful and efficient. In no way did it resemble The Mad Tea Party in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

A golden afternoon boat ride 150 years ago

Charles Dodgson traveled on a boat ride on "a golden afternoon" with Alice Liddell and her sisters and began an imaginative story about a girl falling down a rabbit hole.  Alice loved that story and encouraged Dodgson to write the story down.  Thus began the first telling of the story that would become Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  The boat ride was 150 years ago on July 4, 1862.  The book would be published in 1865 under the very careful scrutiny of Lewis Caroll, Dodgson's nom de plume, with illustrations by John Tenniel, the famous Punch cartoonist.

Here are a few links to articles that mention the anniversary.  In Brain Pickings.  In Media Bistro. In the Oxford Mail. in the Independent.

And in Oxford, England, they're celebrating the Caucus Race this weekend.  It's the fifth year that the town where Lewis Carroll lived most of his adult life is celebrating his work and imagination.  If we lived nearby, I am sure we would be there.

It will be exciting to learn about all the events planned for the 150th publication year coming up soon.