For the past 3 years I’ve tried to get another task related to my uncle Billy accomplished – get memorial plaques restored to the walls of a historic chapel on the college campus where he spent 4 of the last 6 years of life. Transylvania University here in Lexington, KY is a private liberal arts college founded in 1780. People like naturalist Constantine Rafinesque and the Marquis de Lafayette visited there. Rafinesque was a professor at Transy from 1819-1826. He was rumored to have been reinterred in a vault in Old Morrison in 1924, but that has been disproven (thanks B.J.!) Lafayette visited in 1825 while on a tour of the US as a guest of Governor Desha. In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke at the 175th anniversary celebration there. My uncle Billy had a full academic scholarship here and graduated in 1940 with honors.
Every life-long resident of Lexington is aware of the history of the school and importance of some of the people tied to the campus. While it’s a centuries old and established college, the oldest building currently on campus (other than the original cabin of Robert Patterson, a founding father of Kentucky) is Old Morrison Hall built in 1834. Other than Morrison every building on the campus that was there when Billy was a student has been demolished and replaced. This is significant because of what is in Morrison – the chapel. Back in1947, the classes of 1946-47 dedicated bronze plaques to the Transylvania graduates who gave their lives fighting in WW2, with 39 names including my great-uncle William C. Hedrick, Jr. These plaques were placed on the walls of the chapel and were there for decades. I first saw them in 2010 on a visit to the chapel. Years later in 2016 I walked back in and the chapel had been painted – and the plaques removed. At the time I made an inquiry at the Dean’s office and got no clear answer on why they had not been replaced. I spoke to them of my concerns and hoped someone would take action.
I went back in 2017 and was again surprised to find the walls bare. At that time I wrote a letter to the then-president and got an email back from his administrative assistant stating the plaques were in an office with the facilities manager. They took photos of them to show they were safe, sent them to me and again I hoped someone would write up a work order to restore them to the walls. Wrong again.
In April this year I returned and there were no plaques on the walls. At the time I stopped in to visit with the office of the President (thank you B.J. for the introduction!) and talked with his admin Kristin. We had a conversation where I explained who I was, what I was doing and why those plaques were so important. Mainly, Transylvania was the last real “home” Billy had before he went to war. His years there were full of enlightenment, music, friends, festivities, activities and learning. He thrived there. And being that Morrison is the only building remaining from his time on campus, this is where the plaques need to be and not on the floor in facilities management. At the time of my visit Transy was undergoing a change of leadership, the president leaving and in the process an interim was transitioning in. I gave it a few months for things to settle down and made contact with them again.
Finally, I was able to get a physical meeting with the current leader of the college, President John N. Williams, Jr. this past November 6th. He is a Transy alumni and well aware of the history represented within the hallowed halls and archives housed by the university. The history matters, all history including that of the individuals who pass through the doors and go out into the world. He understood my concerns and agreed that the plaques should be replaced, as in his investigation he found that they had most likely been tossed out or destroyed. I left his office broken-hearted about the original plaques, but buoyed by the fact that he believed they ought to recreate and replace the plaques to also include those graduates lost in other more modern wars. I was assured of being “in the loop” on this project and left feeling more hopeful.
So color me surprised in the most wonderful of ways when I get a phone call today (the 19th) from President Williams telling me that after our meeting they went back and searched again in some of the places they had looked before – and found the plaques!!! I was so relieved I almost cried, and thanked him profusely. Third time’s the charm! As of now there will be a date set for re-installing the plaques and I plan to be on campus for this. My hope is they can contact and invite members of the families of the other men listed on the plaque as well.
I can’t think President Williams enough for his diligence and for believing in what I’m trying to do to keep Billy’s memory and the memories of the other lost men and women alive. Transylvania really came through this time! I’ll post an update when I have a date for the install and try to include photos of the re-installment.
And thank you B.J. Gooch for your moral support in all this!
-Tammi
*UPDATE: An unveiling ceremony is to be held at Transylvania in Old Morrison Chapel on Wednesday December 11th, with a reception to follow in the President's boardroom. My family and representatives from Transylvania will be invited. I am ever so grateful to President Williams and his staff for coordinating this event!
Every life-long resident of Lexington is aware of the history of the school and importance of some of the people tied to the campus. While it’s a centuries old and established college, the oldest building currently on campus (other than the original cabin of Robert Patterson, a founding father of Kentucky) is Old Morrison Hall built in 1834. Other than Morrison every building on the campus that was there when Billy was a student has been demolished and replaced. This is significant because of what is in Morrison – the chapel. Back in1947, the classes of 1946-47 dedicated bronze plaques to the Transylvania graduates who gave their lives fighting in WW2, with 39 names including my great-uncle William C. Hedrick, Jr. These plaques were placed on the walls of the chapel and were there for decades. I first saw them in 2010 on a visit to the chapel. Years later in 2016 I walked back in and the chapel had been painted – and the plaques removed. At the time I made an inquiry at the Dean’s office and got no clear answer on why they had not been replaced. I spoke to them of my concerns and hoped someone would take action.
I went back in 2017 and was again surprised to find the walls bare. At that time I wrote a letter to the then-president and got an email back from his administrative assistant stating the plaques were in an office with the facilities manager. They took photos of them to show they were safe, sent them to me and again I hoped someone would write up a work order to restore them to the walls. Wrong again.
In April this year I returned and there were no plaques on the walls. At the time I stopped in to visit with the office of the President (thank you B.J. for the introduction!) and talked with his admin Kristin. We had a conversation where I explained who I was, what I was doing and why those plaques were so important. Mainly, Transylvania was the last real “home” Billy had before he went to war. His years there were full of enlightenment, music, friends, festivities, activities and learning. He thrived there. And being that Morrison is the only building remaining from his time on campus, this is where the plaques need to be and not on the floor in facilities management. At the time of my visit Transy was undergoing a change of leadership, the president leaving and in the process an interim was transitioning in. I gave it a few months for things to settle down and made contact with them again.
Finally, I was able to get a physical meeting with the current leader of the college, President John N. Williams, Jr. this past November 6th. He is a Transy alumni and well aware of the history represented within the hallowed halls and archives housed by the university. The history matters, all history including that of the individuals who pass through the doors and go out into the world. He understood my concerns and agreed that the plaques should be replaced, as in his investigation he found that they had most likely been tossed out or destroyed. I left his office broken-hearted about the original plaques, but buoyed by the fact that he believed they ought to recreate and replace the plaques to also include those graduates lost in other more modern wars. I was assured of being “in the loop” on this project and left feeling more hopeful.
So color me surprised in the most wonderful of ways when I get a phone call today (the 19th) from President Williams telling me that after our meeting they went back and searched again in some of the places they had looked before – and found the plaques!!! I was so relieved I almost cried, and thanked him profusely. Third time’s the charm! As of now there will be a date set for re-installing the plaques and I plan to be on campus for this. My hope is they can contact and invite members of the families of the other men listed on the plaque as well.
I can’t think President Williams enough for his diligence and for believing in what I’m trying to do to keep Billy’s memory and the memories of the other lost men and women alive. Transylvania really came through this time! I’ll post an update when I have a date for the install and try to include photos of the re-installment.
And thank you B.J. Gooch for your moral support in all this!
-Tammi
*UPDATE: An unveiling ceremony is to be held at Transylvania in Old Morrison Chapel on Wednesday December 11th, with a reception to follow in the President's boardroom. My family and representatives from Transylvania will be invited. I am ever so grateful to President Williams and his staff for coordinating this event!
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