On August 7, 1888, Thoephilus Van Kannel patented a “storm door structure”, or what we commonly refer to today as the revolving door. The new door type had the advantage of keeping out noise and wind as well as “noxious effluvia” and “baleful miasmas.” Van Kannel was awarded a medal in 1889 by the Franklin Institute for his contribution to science and society. But for him the victory was more personal.

Legend has it that Van Kennel’s wife, Abigail, was an old-fashioned type who rigorously believed in chivalry. She obstinately refused to leave a room unless a gentleman opened the door for her and she could pass through first. “Manners are the measure of a man!” she said. “More so than his inseam, rest assured!” This incensed Van Kannel who, as a resentful adolescent, was subjected by his mother to the undertaking of small menial tasks in the name of chivalry. One day, after an argument with his new bride over her unwillingness to touch a door knob, Van Kannel stormed out of the house only to return eight hours later to find Abigail in the same room in which he had left her, never having moved from it.

Despite its appeal as an innovation in engineering, it is said that Van Kannel’s true purpose in inventing the revolving door was revenge. In addition to keeping out the snow, the revolving door had the unique quality of defying the dictates of chivalry by having the first person through the door be obliged to do all the pushing. Thus, if women were going to insist on going through the door first, they would essentially have to open it for the men. So for Van Kannel, it could be said that mother was the necessity for invention.

Another fun fact about the revolving door was produced by a group at MIT that wished to illustrate the effect of the use of a revolving door versus a regular swinging door. Their research concluded that using a revolving door 50 percent of the time could save enough energy to heat a home for one year. Full 100 percent usage would save enough energy to heat 5.1 homes for one year.

It’s true: I’m a real sucker for a fun fact. For instance, before Van Kannel gave America the “storm door structure,” H. Bockhacker patented a similar device in Germany, in December 1881. Bockhacker called it Tür ohne Luftzug or “Door without draft”.

But that’s not all, in addition to being a trivia ho, I also think that beyond its obvious appeal to environmentalists and IP students, the revolving door is something everyone can get behind. Here’s a short list of reasons:

1) It’s cold outside and the draft that results from using the swing doors can make the lobby an unpleasant place to hang out;
2) Think of Anna and Vlady and the rest of our security friends at the front desk who are constantly subjected to the cold air blasts. We can help them have a temperate working environment;
3) Constant use of the swinging doors is a drain on energy and resources. Using the revolving door can literally prevent tons of CO2 emissions;
4) It saves the school money that would otherwise be spent on heating/cooling the umpteen cubic foot lobby. Perhaps if we use the revolving door tuition won’t go up tomorrow;
5) From a Feng Shui perspective, revolving doors keep positive chi flowing and prevents any detrimental chi-seepage;
6) Protracted door-holding sessions, which cause you to question the limits of common courtesy are averted by the equalizing force of the revolving door; and
7) The memory of Van Kannel.

So what do you say Cardozo? Can we all just use the revolving door?