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Page 17 text:
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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
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Page 18 text:
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Q-X , is 1 v. . DEAR DLD MANSFIELD uring the past century or so, Mansfield University, like the Lady in the Harbor, has seen a great deal of history unfold. Beginning as the Mansfield Classical Seminary in 1857, our campus has evolved into a full-fledged university with over three-thousand faculty, staff, and students. This transition, however, has always involved struggle and determination. The Mansfield Classical Seminary opened in January 1857 with 105 students. lt had taken several years of meetings, debates, and fund-raising to finally accomplish this. By April, when 45 additional students were added for the second term, it was generally felt that the school was on its way to success. This good beginning was short-lived, however, for a fire in late April destroyed most of the building. Fortunately, there were no injuries. lt was not until November 1859 that the rebuilding was completed and the school finally reopened. During the 1860's the Seminary fell on hard times as the able-bodied young men of the area left to fight in the Civil War. At one point the school was almost sold at a sheriff's-sale, but the administration hung on tenaciously. ln 1863, turning to the state for financial support, the Seminary became Mansfield State Normal School. The normal schools functioned primarily to train teachers for the Commonwealth. ln the years that followed, Mansfield Normal gained a reputation for excellence as its graduates became sought after as teachers. ln 1874, the newly-completed North Hall was dedicated. This imposing structure was considered a model of academic efficiency. lt quickly became a focal point of the campus with facilities like the dining hall, women's dormatories, and the Music and Art Departments. ln the 1880's and 1890's Old North underwent an expansion program and the building was in use right into the 1970's. ln 1927 Mansfield Normal became Mansfield State Teachers College, the first state teachers college in Pennsylvania. With collegiate status, Mansfield could grant four-year Bachelor of Science Degrees. A Economic problems arose again in the 1930's when the Great Depression cut enrollment almost in half. But the campus survived and several new buildings were added. During this period three-fourths of the students were women, training to become teachers. The 1940's brought more challenges to the campus when the young men left to fight in World War Il. When the war ended, the Gl's came home and went to school, making the Mansfield student body predominantly male. ln 1960, the campus was renamed Mansfield State College and established itself as a liberal arts institution. During this period the college grew tremendously with a tripling of the enrollment. During the 197O's, as teacher training declined, new programs were established in business administration, computer science, and criminal justic administration. ln the fall of 1983, we became Mansfield University under new president, Rod Kelchner. Now, in 1986, with a reverence for our past and hope for our future, we send forth a new graduating class to make their mark on the world. Life is full of change, without it there would be little adventure. But some things never change ..... the love we have for our country, symbolized by the Statue of Libery ..... and the pride we take in our education, symbolized, for us, by dear old Mansfield . Ed Meikeljohn . ,.,.,. .RAC . J.. - L- f H , ,-.xg ... --.- ,,, -.sv , ,sit-,. s M F - mow our QAAQ , ' . , N, '16crf:,'5 , s .etsssxeii-'?i. 8 Q-f,'t.l7sf-r . . ffm- ,V -at ' -. mug ,. . ' 1a':f,f.- -R, . 5 ..: -' .:. l'4: .f- Tf'- -fffnfi. s A 1 '11-.a
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