Caltech, circa 1900:A dozen female students in...

Caltech, circa 1900:

A dozen female students in long skirts, floppy white caps and gingham aprons are pouring flour and other ingredients into mixing bowls, some glancing at a recipe scrawled on the classroom chalkboard.

Caltech?

Yes, the place wasn’t always a world-renowned research institute. Its forerunner, Throop University, began 100 years ago in a building that today forms part of Pasadena’s Green Hotel. The founder, Amos G. Throop, envisioned an industrial school that emphasized practical training, with the motto: “Learn to Do by Doing.”

But under the direction of astronomer George Ellery Hale, Throop U began to shift its focus to science and research. Women were banned from campus from 1910 until 1969 and, in 1920, the university was renamed the California Institute of Technology.

These, and other interesting tidbits about Caltech’s early days, are part of an exhibit at the Pasadena Historical Society Museum celebrating the institution’s centennial.

The exhibit, which runs through Dec. 1, features 37 photographs--including portraits of Caltech’s 11 Nobel laureates--on loan from Caltech’s public relations department. Other memorabilia are on display, such as a 1923 ROTC uniform and a football from the same year commemorating Caltech’s 59-6 victory over the Southern Branch of the University of California (now UCLA).

The museum, at 470 W. Walnut St., is open Thursday through Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and students. Children under 12 accompanied by a guardian are admitted free. For more information, call the museum at (818) 577-1660.