Traditional Ball State folklore leads us to believe that Ball State's statue, Beneficence, will leave her perch of 65 years and fly away when a virgin graduates from the university.
So far, Benny has refused to flap her wings. In fact, the statue -- designed by Daniel Chester French, the creator of Lincoln's sculpture in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. -- is still where she was placed in 1937.
Unfortunately, in 1937, the plan was to expand the university south. Elliot Hall was a brand new residence hall and the name L.A. Pittenger referred to the university's president, not its student center.
Now, the campus has expanded to the north. The new center of campus lies about where you will find Shafer Tower. Former President Pittenger's building has been forgotten by the majority of the student body.
Benny is still the first thing students see when they come to Ball State, but they see it in logos, in letterhead and on the sides of Shafer Tower -- a bit of a memorial to the forgotten symbol of Ball State.
They don't see the statue. Why not give Benny the respect she deserves?
Move her.
On the surface, it sounds like a far-fetched idea from a student who just wants to cause a fuss. When really thought out, it makes more sense than, say, changing the course of the campus' main stretch of road and putting a big bell tower in everybody's way.
Beneficence was built as a tribute to the five men who made Ball State possible. If you are reading this on Ball State's campus, look around. Whatever you are looking at would not exist without them.
If you are not on campus but in the Muncie community, much of what you are seeing when you look around may not have been there either. Without Ball State, Muncie is Anderson.
People complain about the Shafer Bell Tower project, and rightfully so. Instead of donating money to a big, useless structure just to have their name on something, the Shafers should have donated their money to a project that would help educate students.
An effort to move Benny would be similar except for one detail -- respect. The Shafer Tower is a tribute to nothing. Its meaning is empty. Benny was built out of respect and appreciation for all that the Ball Brothers did for this campus.
Now, with most of campus behind her, she has her back to the heart of the university and gestures away from Ball State.
Benny needs a new home. The best location for her would be on the lawn between Bracken Library and the Architecture Building -- the "new quad." Imagine a beautiful sunny day on the center lawn of campus. Benny would be surrounded by academic buildings, hustling students, and other campus monuments such as Frog Baby and the bell tower.
Students would visit her again. They would actually care about her.
Two weeks ago, I asked Ball State's administration to give students one semester without construction. I asked for this because construction has gotten out of hand at Ball State. However, this project is different. It's not just another building. It's not a worthless monument. It won't force people out of their homes. This is about respect. In fact, I would still recommend that the move take place during the summer when class is out of session, just like when the McKinley House was moved from the intersection of McKinley and Riverside avenues to University Avenue in 1999.
Give Benny a good home. She deserves it, and so do the Ball brothers. Besides, she's not going anywhere soon.
Write to Jon at jcseidel@bsu.edu**2&+â-+--seidel 11.22DNEditorial**2SORT*+â-ä2AUDT
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