Mansfield University - Carontawan Yearbook (Mansfield, PA)

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TI-IE LADY t is with prlde and honor that we dedicate the 1986 Carontawan to the Statue of Liberty at her 100th birthday. During the past century Miss Liberty and Mansfield University have both been part of the American dream: a dream of freedom . . . and a dream of education and opportunity. For one hundred years the lady has kept her vigil in New York Harbor, lighting the way for refugees who came seeking a new life, and welcoming home her sons and daughters who went abroad to defend freedom with their very lives. After a century of wind and weather Lady Llbery had become weary and scarred. lt became clear to us who love her, and the things she stands for, that she must be restored. Dur- lng the past few years this labor of love, financed by private contributions from the American people, has progressed steadily and painstakingly, to restore her to the condition of strength and beauty that she enjoyed at her unveiling ln 1886. The original idea for the Statue was born in France In 1865. lt was Intended as a gift from the French peo- ple to the American people, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence. This grand and lasting gesture of international friendship was to be the work of French sculptor Auguste Bartholdl. It was to be built in France, dlsassembled, taken to America, and erected in time for the Centennial celebration, July 4, 1876. There were many problems and delays ln the planning stages of the statue. As years went by it became clear that this magnificent glft would not be ready for America 's Centennial. But, finally, the necessary funds were raised by subscriptions and Bartholdi set out to construct his colossal work of art. He designed and built four different scale models, each larger than the last. The fourth model was one-fourth the actual size of the eventual full-size statue. The figure was formed of copper sheets that would be riveted to an lron framework which would stand on a stone pedestal. As the sta tue took shape, Bartholdi pondered how a support structure might be built that would be strong enough not only to bear the tremendous welght but to stand against wlnd and weather. He finally approached the famous French engineer, Alexandre Eiffel, builder of the tower that bears his name. Eiffel agreed to design a framework that could support the statue. ln 1884 the statue was completed and formally presented to the American minister In France on July 4th, The task now fell to the Americans to secure a proper location and build a suitable pedestal. A major problem, however, was that the American public wasn't sure they even wanted a statue this large. This presented dlfflculty in regard to the fund-raising efforts. After a great deal of controversy, Joseph Pulitzer, the New York newspaper publisher, organized a fund-raising campaign through his newspaper. He attempted to embarrass his readers into supporting this gift from the French people . . . and lt worked. When the necessary funds had been raised, Bedloe's Island, in New York Bay, was acquired as a site and a stone pedestal was built. In 1885 the statue was dlsasembled in France, crated, and shipped to America. This wasn't a routine voyage, however. The ship encountered a violent storm ln the North Atlantic and almost capsized with its precious cargo. When the ship reached New York the pedestal had yet to be completed, and the crated statue sat on Bedloe's lsland for a year. When the statue was erected, at long last, she rose 305 feet from the base of the pedestal, a rare engineering feat for that time. The statue alone was 151 feet tall and weighed 225 tons. At her unveiling in October 1886, there was a great celebration and the work was dedicated by President Gro ver Cleveland. Today, the Lady's beauty and strength have been restored in time for her 100th birthday celebration on July 4th, 1986. ln her first century she has weathered many storms and tribulations. She has seen her nation endure depression and war and emerge stronger for the struggle. Lady Liberty has seen countless refugees from all corners of the earth pass under her torch. On nearby Ellls Island, which has also been re- stored, these homeless arrived In search of opportunity, a new life, and that precious commodity . . . freedom. And now, as we at Mansfield University pay tribute to this great Lady, we resolve to continue our efforts to honor all that she stands for . . . liberty, equality, and human freedom. We are reminded of the final touches that Bartholdi chose to add to his great work: at her feet lie the broken chains of slavery . . . aloft, she holds the eternal torch of liberty . . . in her hand she holds the book of freedom, inscribed July 4, 1776. From that book comes the words of Thomas Jefferson on that historic day: We hold these truths to be self-evident, That all men are created equal, that they are Endowed by their Creator with certain lnallenable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Ed Melklejohn Statue f13