Life in the Coolbaugh House - 1700 Maple Street by Ian H. Mackay ’53 1945-1970 My association with the house on Maple Street is a very personal one. As a first generation Canadian, distance, time and The Depression denied me the luxury of knowing my natural grandparents. When good fortune resulted in my rooming in the Coolbaugh home, Dr. Melville F. and Mrs. Coolbaugh filled a great void that time and circumstances had denied me. "Mother" Coolbaugh warmed any room by her very presence. Her knowledge of history of the western Plains Indians instilled in me a lifetime interest. It was with considerable reservation and concern that I first met Dr. Coolbaugh, even considering the fact I was a graduate student. The person whom I grew to know and love was a man of infinite humor and wisdom. He expected the best from those he loved the most and this included not only his sons but also the students of the Colorado School of Mines. This is the same man who would often challenge "Mother" Coolbaugh and me to a contest on Sunday morning to see who could read the comic strips with the greatest humor. The highlight of my day was to go up to his office in Berthoud Hall after classes and walk home to 1700 Maple Street "to see how Mother is." He had been busy in that last year attempting to increase the recovery of cobalt samples. I arrived home to 1700 Maple Street on the evening of September 8, 1950, and having spent a delightful few hours visiting with Dr. and "Mother" Coolbaugh, I went downtown to see who else was back in Golden for the new school year. It was early next morning when Dr. Coolbaugh suffered his first heart attack that would take his life before noon. My world came crashing down. My only comfort on that black Saturday morning was that I could represent all the CSM students who had come under his care, and that I was with "Mother" Coolbaugh at the passing of this great man. Only the students they supported and encouraged could ever know how great these two people were. Only someone who had the luxury of living under their roof could truly appreciate their warmth and humor. Then, as now, they represent to me, a foreign student at Colorado School of Mines, the people and example that made America great. With the passing of Dr. M.F. Coolbaugh, life in 1700 Maple Street, through necessity, took a new direction. The basement area which contained the study and one bedroom was remodeled to add another bedroom. In addition to myself, Frank Moulton ’51, Medalist ’74; Hank Van Poolen ’50, ’55; Sherrold Moore, Harry Ells ’54 and Jerry Keleher ’54 became residents under "Mother" Coolbaugh’s care. The venerable house even withstood this shock but was soon, once again, to know the happy laughter of children. David, her son, and his family were returning to Mines for postgraduate studies. There is something about children that make most houses glow with a new radiance. When Dave and Kathleen returned with Jim, Connie and Margaret, the house shook off its pall of sorrow. Fate dictated that Margaret be born the day Dr. Coolbaugh died, so she was special to us all. "Mother" Coolbaugh moved into her smaller house just behind 1700 Maple, close to her grandchildren who meant so much to her. The house was to have one further major happy event in my life. Thanks to the kindness of Dave and Kathleen, my wife and her parents stayed at 1700 Maple Street prior to our wedding in Denver on May 24, 1951. I cannot be too generous to Dave himself during this event for I seem to remember I was not feeling too well on the morning of the wedding. Sherrold Moore got lost driving the bride and her parents to the church. I also have it on record, thanks to Dave’s movies, that Moore, Keleher, Ells and my brother made a hell of a mess of my car that I had polished until it shone like new. The years have passed all too quickly since graduation from the Colorado School of Mines. If it had not been for the pleasure and encouragement the Coolbaugh’s afforded me, I would not have finished my post graduate studies. History has shown that next to religious institutions, universities record the longest functioning existence. Time does march on and other than having a Coolbaugh resident at 1700 Maple Street, it is most fitting it become the University Club. For all those who would trespass, therein, be mindful of the many memories within its walls.