“To
the uninitiated, 47 is a mystery. To knowledgeable Pomona
Sagehens, 47 is dogma. To sociologists, 47 is a prime
example of a minor piece of whimsy that somehow developed
into a legend of mythical proportions...” —Pomona Student Handbook, 1985-86
In 1964, a student project to determine
whether the number 47 appeared more often in nature than
other random numbers turned into a wholesale 47 hunt that
has continued to this day. Here are a few of the unlikely
places where Sagehens have discovered this quintessential
random number:
Pomona College is located at Exit 47 of
the San Bernardino Freeway.
The Bible credits Jesus with 47 miracles.
There are 47 pipes in the top row of
the Lyman Hall organ.
The Declaration of Independence has 47
sentences.
The Disney comedy The Absent-Minded
Professor features a basketball game filmed at Pomona’s
old Renwick Gym. The final score: 47-46.
In the film Towering Inferno, actor
Richard Chamberlain ’56 was the 47th person in line to be
saved.
There are 47 strings on a concert harp.
In the freshman class that entered
Pomona College in the year 2000, there were 47
valedictorians.
The tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are
located 47 degrees apart.
And if all this 47 trivia gives you an
upset stomach, remember that Rolaids absorbs 47 times its
weight in excess acid.
Here are a few links where you can find
more details about the number 47:
