By Mitch Holt, Opinion Editor
Dr. John C. Stevens, the university’s eighth president, marched on Nazi Germany in the front lines upon its surrender during World War II.
Stories like this one, along with 100 years of history compiled in extensive exhibits that stretch from the far corners of the campus, are what Homecoming attendees will see when they participate in the university’s first Centennial Tour.
Becky Estrella, the woman responsible for appraising, documenting and deciding placement of most of the artifacts in the tour, said that the Centennial Tour reveals an interesting history about ACU that many will never know unless they participate in the tour, which will kick off at 11:45 a.m. on Friday.
“I think the tour is important because it brings previously unknown meaning to many buildings on campus and highlights the history of so many departments on campus,” Estrella says.
By Friday people can take self-guided tours using brochures available at the information desk in the Campus Center, or they can call Esrella and she, or another trained individual, will give them a personal tour.
The tour begins with a wall of faces in the Campus Center. The faces collage shows students from all eras of the university’s history-all alumni who look at the wall, young or old, will find a picture from their eras.
“This is Royce Money, 40 years ago,” says Dr. Larry Bradshaw, member of the Centennial Tour Task Force Committee and professor of journalism and mass communication, pointing to a younger looking Money on the wall of faces in the Campus Center. “Back when we both had hair.”
“Dr. Money still does have hair,” says Estrella in response to Bradshaw’s jesting.
And Bethany Allen, junior history major from Abilene, has been Estrella’s assistant in constructing and planning the different aspects of the tour.
From the exhibit in the Campus Center, the figurative “walking trail” leads out the east exit of the building, across the brick courtyard, past the Hope for the Future sculpture and into the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, where a 10-foot tall, 160-foot long 100 Years Timeline awaits visitors in the Hall of Servants.
The timeline focuses on the history of ACU in decade increments, featuring artifacts, pictures and information about that period in time, including the stories of university legends like Bobby Morrow, winner of three Olympic gold medals, and the many alumni who fought in various wars throughout the century. Stories like these cover the larger-than-life timeline and reveal highlights from the university’s history.
The graphic designer for the timeline and most of the tour was Greg Golden of Creative Services, and Fast Signs manufactured his finished product.
From the timeline, the tour leads out the northeast exit toward the Quiet Place, where tour-takers can reflect on “Exalt Thee,” a sculpture donated by legendary country singer Barbara Mandrell and placed amidst the rippling waterfall in this peaceful room.
“She was here in the early 1990s,” Bradshaw said. “She gave a huge Moody Coliseum concert, and her son went to school here, also.”
The statue adds serenity to the already-peaceful room, evoking a captivating response from those who choose to glance at it.
Moving towards Hart Auditorium, the tour leads to the bottom floor of the rotunda and up the winding stairs to overlook the World Mission Globe. The globe shows the locations of missionaries of the Churches of Christ as of 1989 when the building was completed and dedicated.
Estrella then brings the tour into the Chapel on the Hill and points out the Prayer Wall made out of limestone.
“The windows in this chapel have 280 shades of faceted glass,” she said.
Exiting the Chapel on the Hill back into the rotunda, out the double glass doors and a balcony, Echo Point, a designated outdoor standing area that mysteriously reverberates the voice of anyone who stands on it and talks, awaits tour takers.
This stop in the tour overlooks the large amphitheatre that cushions the monstrous Tower of Light that is responsible for the resounding church bells that ring every 15 minutes during the day.
“I hope every tour day is like this one,” says Estrella about the impeccable weather.
The tour then makes its way to an overlook of the Sigma Theta Chi Plaza from the front steps of the Biblical Studies Building, where three flags blow in the ever-present West Texas wind. Walking down the steps, the future building site of “Jacob’s Dream” is soon upon walkers.
“Jacob’s Dream,” when completed, will be a 32-foot high, limestone sculpture representation of the Genesis 28 story of Jacob’s dream of a ladder reaching to heaven from earth. A reflecting pool will surround the sculpture.
Estrella said this is one of the elements of the tour they are most proud of; it will add much depth to the empty lawn between buildings the Mabee Business Building and Williams Performing Arts Center.
At this point, the Williams Performing Arts Center is within a stone’s throw. The tour leads walkers into the north entrance of the building, where an immediate hallway displays murals and artifacts of the Music and Theatre Departments’ history. On the second floor, a legendary costume from the Theatre Department’s 1990s version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat is draped on a display stand. The costume is Joseph’s coat of many colors and was worn by department legend and 1998 graduate Ryan Swearingen.
The trail then leads to the west side of the campus, hitting the Mabee Business Building, Chambers, Foster, Sewell Theatre, Women of ACU Museum, Hardin Administration, Zona-Luce, Don Morris, Teague, Moody and Brown Library along the way.
A must-see exhibit in the tour is the David Leeson photography exhibit in the Don Morris Building. Leeson was the 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning photographer for his coverage of the Iraq war. In this hallway of photos, one sees graphic yet powerful images that capture the essence of Iraq-aspects not often seen in newspapers or television.
Highlights throughout the rest of the tour include the Jesus window in the Quiet Place, and a refreshment stop Connections Cafe in COBA, the student military exhibit in the WACU Museum, the 1929 architecture and university presidents exhibit of the Hardin Administration Building, the A.B. Morris exhibit in Moody and a concluding video presentation in the Centennial Theatre in the library, most commonly known as Mabee Theatre.
Estrella said she’s worried that as the tour unfolds, people will begin tiring of walking and viewing exhibits.
“They’ll be missing so much,” she said. “Plus, golf carts will be available to transport those who aren’t able to endure the amount of walking in the tour.”
She says that if tour-takers can’t hit every stop in the Centennial Tour, they should still try to see everything at some point during the Centennial year.
The Centennial Tour provides a powerful thematic element to the university’s centennial Homecoming and, ultimately, the last 100 years.
It heavily focuses on achievements of the university and its graduates and highlighting the sacrifices made by alumni and faculty, an element that is truly worth exploring.
The story about the sacrificial military endeavors of Dr. John C. Stevens during WWII is merely a chapter in a hundred year novel about the many men and women of ACU who put to practice the faith and excellence inspired by their time at this West Texas diamond in the rough.
