2008 Woodie Awards
More than meets the eye
The Stories Behind the Statues
Ryan McManama
Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Features
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A vigilant monk stands serenely, watching passersby. A young girl sits comfortably, entirely engrossed in the book she is reading. A fearsome crocodile threatens to snap at anyone foolish enough to wander too close. Two herons stride purposefully through ankle-deep water, every move betraying grace through motion. Could this be an extraordinary day at the zoo or at a fantastic park? It just so happens that all of these sights can be witnessed by simply wandering Saint Louis University's campus and taking in the wonderful statuary that adorns the grounds.
The sculptures and statues that are fixtures on the grounds vary widely in size, material, history and subject matter. They have become so commonplace, however, that students just brush by, recognizing their presence but not taking care to learn anything about them.
"You see them every day, going to your classes. You get used to them, and you never really wonder about them," sophomore John Hall said. Other than a few standout pieces recognized for their significance on campus, such as the stature of the classical Billiken in front of the Bauman-Eberhard center, most campus statuary is rather glossed over and unrecognized.
This may have to do simply with the placement of the statues themselves. Students going to class tend to stay on the western end of campus. Even those going to lecture halls and science buildings on the east end of Grand Boulevard are only exposed to a fraction of what is on display. More than two thirds of campus statuary is east of Grand Boulevard, and with students not congregating near them, it's no surprise people don't know much about them.
This really isn't the University's fault, however. "Most are placed according to University President Lawerence Biondi's, S.J., wishes," said facilities operations coordinator Susan Vetten, with a chuckle.
Biondi's wishes aside, other factors come into play. "We can't always just put them where we want," said preservation and conservation manager for Saint Louis University Museum of Art Heather Mann. "There are other considerations-utility lines, power lines, buried cable-that have to be looked out for. Still, our overall goal is to create a peaceful, pleasant environment for students to congregate, study and relax," Mann said.
The sculptures and statues that are fixtures on the grounds vary widely in size, material, history and subject matter. They have become so commonplace, however, that students just brush by, recognizing their presence but not taking care to learn anything about them.
"You see them every day, going to your classes. You get used to them, and you never really wonder about them," sophomore John Hall said. Other than a few standout pieces recognized for their significance on campus, such as the stature of the classical Billiken in front of the Bauman-Eberhard center, most campus statuary is rather glossed over and unrecognized.
This may have to do simply with the placement of the statues themselves. Students going to class tend to stay on the western end of campus. Even those going to lecture halls and science buildings on the east end of Grand Boulevard are only exposed to a fraction of what is on display. More than two thirds of campus statuary is east of Grand Boulevard, and with students not congregating near them, it's no surprise people don't know much about them.
This really isn't the University's fault, however. "Most are placed according to University President Lawerence Biondi's, S.J., wishes," said facilities operations coordinator Susan Vetten, with a chuckle.
Biondi's wishes aside, other factors come into play. "We can't always just put them where we want," said preservation and conservation manager for Saint Louis University Museum of Art Heather Mann. "There are other considerations-utility lines, power lines, buried cable-that have to be looked out for. Still, our overall goal is to create a peaceful, pleasant environment for students to congregate, study and relax," Mann said.