“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry.
And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
~ Walter Hagen
Last week I was walking to the office. I was struck by the ‘monument’ erected by the class of 1905. It was like a bright beacon in the morning sunlight. Every graduating class pays tribute to something around campus; a building, a person, or an event, usually with a historical marker or plaque. The class of 1905 did something completely different, and cool with their commemoration.
Last week I also helped with the information desk at Young Library. A young man came to us and asked for information about the water fountain commemorating the class of 1905. It sits in front of Miller Hall. So, the monument was a water fountain. That was news to me. I always thought it looked like a tiny grotto for a Mother Mary or Jesus statue, though it wasn’t likely to be such a thing. (At least I got that part right.)
We found an article lifted from an Alumni report describing it as the only water fountain on campus, water pouring from a bronze lion’s head. Armed with this information, we sent the young man forth to do more digging. I’d like to know what he found. For instance, I’d love to know where the lion’s head is today, since it’s clearly no longer in the fountain. I’d be interested to know when exactly it stopped providing water, too. I’ve been around campus for more than 20 years. I don’t remember ever seeing it filled with water. In any case, it’s a beautiful, sturdy piece of history. It looks great in morning sunlight, too. I like it so much I took more pictures of it this morning.
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