Twain Exhibit Illustrates Author’s Ties with College

Twain was influenced by a book on microbiology by a professor at the Storrs Agricultural College.

<p>Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain. Photo provided by Library of Congress</p>
Writer, humorist, and satirist Mark Twain spent 17 years of his life in Hartford and was an admirer of the city. One of his unpublished works, a story about the microscopic titled '3000 Years Among the Microbes,' is the subject of an exhibit at the Homer Babbidge Library. The exhibit, organized by Kenneth Noll of molecular and cell biology, will run through Dec. 15. Photo from Wikipedia
<p>On his summer  holiday in 1905, Samuel Clemens wrote a story titled '3,000 Years Among the Microbes.'</p>
The first page of Twain’s book, '3000 Years Among the Microbes,' is on display. On Dec. 6, a celebration of the exhibit will be held at 11 a.m. in the Class of 1947 room. Noll and Jerry Krasser of dramatic arts will read selections from this work. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Photo by Ken Noll
<p>Mark Twain exhibit currently at the Homer Babbidge Library. Photo by Sean Flynn</p>
Twain read and was influenced by a book about microbiology, 'The Story of Germ Life,' written by Herbert W. Conn, a professor of microbiology at the Storrs Agricultural College, the precursor to the University of Connecticut. Photo by Sean Flynn
<p>Image of a science lab in the Twain/Conn exhibit at the Homer Babbidge Library. Photo provided by Kenneth Noll</p>
Students in an early 1900’s bacteriology lab, probably the Department of Bacteriology that was founded by Conn and his assistant. This department was located in the old dairy building on the Storrs campus. Photo from University Archives