Taylor University - Ilium / Gem Yearbook (Upland, IN)

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Flag 7

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...the purple and gold flying in the air? 1 ' i c j Flying flags were part of the pomp and pageantry of the 1988 Winter and Summer Olympics. In step with tradition, competing countries paraded around the track in Calgary and Seoul with their flags of different colors and symbols. Taylor could not have been represented in such a way if the sophomore class members had not decided that their school needed something to represent itself. Theresa Veach, senior class vice-president and art education major, formed a committee of 12 members to formulate ideas in the fall of 1986. According to Veach, they encountered no problems in designing the flag. After a few meetings in the library we drew up some ideas and plans. We then looked in the encyclopedias for different designs and dimensions, indicated Veach. The whole process of meeting, preparing designs and getting a final sample copy ready for presentation took about two weeks. In the spring, Veach presented a sample of the flag to the National Alumni Council for approval. The council thought it was a great idea and that it signified tradition. by Debbie Foster The assembly and purchase of the flag were accomplished by earning money through various fundraisers. The flag was manufactured over the summer and presented at the Homecoming Chapel in the fall of 1987. Veach felt that having a flag was important because it was a symbol of school pride and that it gave true meaning to the school song. Our class wanted to give something special and unique to the school, Veach said. The purple of the flag represents the world while the gold cross depicts the Taylor Christian community reaching out to the world. The torch reflects the calling of Taylor University students to be torch-bearers for Christ. It expresses the fact that we carry the light of good news to the four comers of the earth until Christ comes again. As the flag is flying in the wind it portrays Taylor as more than just a school; it also illustrates what Taylor hopes to contribute to the world. Purple background - the world in which we live. Gold cross - Taylor Christian community reaching out to the world. Purple cross - Christ is center of our lives, community and world. Globe and torch - the calling of Taylor University students to be torchbearers for Christ, carrying the Good News throughout the world until Christ comes again. 6 Flag

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...the four seasons of Helena ' s past? Just as the trees of the fall hold varied-colored leaves so did the Helena Memorial Building serve several purposes when she was completed in the fall of 1912. The man responsible for her completion was Merritt O. Abbey, who was then superintendent of maintenance at Taylor University. After her completion, she was the home not only of the music department but served as a gymnasium and auditorium as well. There musicians received instruction, enjoyed all forms of music and diligently practiced for hours, while downstairs athletes trained for sports. The Shreiner Auditorium on the upper level brought all of the students together as they praised and worshipped God in the chapel services. As fall comes to an end, the leaves wither away and the grass dies, leaving only remnants of what once was. On January 20, 1972, the Helena building met her winter when a faulty wiring between the second ceiling floor and roof caught fire and set the building in flames. She burned to the ground taking organs, grand pianos and an electronic control system with her. In the spring of 1973, the Helena building thawed from her winter state and became the Little Theatre Building where she housed the art department and hosted dramatic performances. Within her walls were heard the lines of actors 8 Helena P by Kathi Strong and actresses rehearsing day after day for each upcoming performance. When that night came, Helena resounded with applause as the young stars received their reward for their diligent work. Her role as the hub of artistic endeavors came to halt when she experienced her second ordeal. On August 19, 1986, the Helena building again burst into flames, this time in the hands of an arsonist. Only the Little Theatre which occupied the upper level of the building was destroyed; all the costumes, props and production equipment were lost. From music and sports to drama and art, Helena now serves Taylor University in a different capacity. After a year of reconstruction which began last summer, she is now the home of admissions, as well as the president ' s and provost ' s offices. Perhaps if Helena could speak she would share with us the experiences during those four seasons of her past. Today she stands strong and stately, emanating a sense of having persevered all weathers imaginable, easily becoming a symbol of permanence.