A “Monumental” Campus

Elisabeth Mayer ’07 writes about the many places of significance at Blair Academy:

The Blair Academy campus is one of the most beautiful private school campuses on the East coast. Our site is not only scenic, it is also filled with symbolic monuments and special places, including the Arch, the “When Now Becomes Then” statue, Kurt’s Rock and the Victory Bell.

The Arch and adjacent Meerwarth Courtyard are the infamous spots where all the students hang out. Whether playing hacky sac, talking with friends, or hanging “Beat Peddie” signs for Peddie Day, if the weather is good and they are not in class, students are most likely in the courtyard. It is hard to imagine this particular place as another road through campus, as it was many years ago. Jacky Bauer ’07 said, “The Arch is the most fun in the spring when the weather is nice and everyone hangs out there before, after and in between classes.” The Arch, which has seen generations of students pass through it prior to commencement, was built by Italian stonemasons in 1904 and connects Locke and Ivy Halls via a hallway above.

The “When Now Becomes Then” statue is more commonly known to students as the statue of the girl that sits in front of Timken Hall. The most “life” brought to this statue would be in the form of the decorations and costumes (sometimes the occasional hat) adorning her during Peddie Week. The statue was a gift from the class of 1943, created by J. Seward Johnson, heir to the Johnson and Johnson Band-Aid and pharmaceuticals fortune. The statue took two years to create – a fact that’s apparent in the detail of her hair and sketchpad. “I thought she was real when I first came to Blair,” said Hudson Collins ’07. The girl’s sketch pad displays a drawing of Timken Hall. If your timing is right, you might just happen to see her getting some “attention” from students.

Kurt’s Rock was created in loving memory of Kurt W. Socha ’06, four-year senior, leader to peers and captain to teammates. Kurt’s rock is located in front of Walker Gymnasium next to the Victory Bell. “What I like about Kurt’s rock is that every time I walk by it on my way to and from classes, I feel like part of him is right there and always will be,” said Dixon Jelich ’07. Kurt’s rock is a constant reminder to the entire community of his gracious presence that will never fade. The plaque on Kurt’s Rock, dedicated May 24, 2006, reads “Love Never Ends.”

The Victory Bell was a gift from the classes of 1949 and 1999 upon the class of 1949’s 50th reunion and the class of 1999’s graduation. The presentation of the bell initiated a new tradition: “When Blair athletes are victorious, ring forth; always mute, but for victory.” The only exception to this rule is during Peddie Week. If students ring it during that timeframe, it’s only to get a head start on the ringing deserved after Peddie is defeated. On a cold autumn night, you can hear the bell sounding and the team shouting out their victory throughout the entire campus.

To truly feel like a member of the Blair community, visitors are encouraged to take a simple walk through the Courtyard, under the Arch, to the Statue, to the Bell or to Kurt’s Rock.

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