Beadle statue, memorial moved on DSU campus

February 27, 2018

Two long-time monuments on the Dakota State University campus have been moved in advance of the upcoming construction of the Madison Cyber Labs (MadLabs).

Both the World War I Memorial and statue of General Beadle had been located south of Lowry Hall, which will be demolished this spring to make way for the new MadLabs facility. The memorial was moved on February 27, the statue on February 22.

“These memorials serve as a testament to Dakota State University’s proud and diverse history,” said DSU President José-Marie Griffiths. “We are committed to maintaining them in highly visible locations so that students, alumni, and visitors to campus will be reminded of the dedication and sacrifice of these university pioneers.”

The World War I Memorial will be placed on the campus green south of the rose garden and flag poles. Additional open space in this area may allow for future memorials to be placed nearby. The 9,800-pound granite boulder, dedicated in 1921, bears the names of DSU students who served in “The Great War.”

General Beadle’s statue will be located north of the Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB), east of the Walk of Honor sidewalk. Beadle was the university’s third president, from 1889-1905. The school bore his name from 1947 to 1969, as General Beadle State Teachers College and General Beadle State College. Originally placed on campus in 1937, the statue will now face west, in tribute to his work opening Dakota Territory.

The DSU Facilities Management staff is working with a landscape designer from Stockwell Engineers to determine the exact placement for these monuments. Once those details have been finalized, the memorial and statue will be relocated as soon as the ground is fit, said Corey Braskamp, facilities management director.

Another campus icon, the wooden Trojan statue which was located just south of the Trojan Center, was moved into storage in 2016 before construction began on the Trojan Center. The committee recommended this be placed in a covered or semi-covered area in the athletic complex. The statue, carved out a tree trunk in 2012, had suffered some degradation from the elements in its previous location, prompting the request to place it under shelter. After restoration work, Braskamp hopes it will be in place by August 2018.

A committee of faculty, staff, students, administration, alumni, and community members was created to determine the best locations for these monuments. “The committee’s thoughtful work serves the university’s resolve to respect our history while building a strong and impactful future for DSU,” said Griffiths.

HISTORIC FACTS:

General William Henry Harrison Beadle was DSU’s third president, from 1889-1905. The school bore his name from 1947 to 1969, as General Beadle State Teachers College and then General Beadle State College. A native of Indiana, Beadle was a Civil War veteran, a personal friend of President Abraham Lincoln, and was appointed to several important posts during South Dakota’s formative years before statehood. A lawyer by training, he wrote nearly all the Codes of Dakota. He is known for having the foresight, statesmanship and perseverance to work for legislation to preserve school lands, and was nicknamed “The Dakota’s Grand Old Man.” The bronze statue on the DSU campus was erected in 1937, with contributions from alumni, faculty and friends. A marble statue of the same likeness stands in the South Dakota State Capitol; a third is in the U.S. National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C., a bronze statue given by the state in 1938.

World War I Memorial: Alumni and community members raised the funds for this monument which was dedicated in 1921 on the location south of Lowry Hall. The bronze plaque reads “The Great War Honor Roll of Madison State Normal School.” Elmer Davis died in his country’s service; an additional 86 men and women who served are listed.

Trojan Statue: After a storm damaged a tree on the Montgomery Plaza just south of the Trojan Center in 2012, local wood carver Brad Hodne carved the tree trunk into a likeness of the Trojan mascot. The carving was removed in 2016 when construction and remodeling work began on the Trojan Center.