Romance blossoms on the grounds in, around ULM

Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, October 15, 2006

You know the story - they catch one another's eye in class or end up in the same meeting. With boldness based on maybe a full moon or the excitement of their serendipitous meeting, they agree to meet at Starbucks or Java City (or, in another time, the College Friend) for coffee or tea. Their conversation is shy at first, but wonderful, and it soon appears that neither wants the day to end. What to do next?

What about a walk around the romantic campus of the University of Louisiana at Monroe? Romantic ULM? Of course.

Countless students and faculty members have found our campus to be a romantic place since the time of a single building 75 years ago - sitting on the lawn together; walking across the circle to Brown Field for football; dancing in the gymnasium. Romance was in the air from the first.
As the campus expanded to the bayou, another romantic spot appeared - in 1940 along the bayou east of the Dean's House. We are not sure what kind of activities happened there along the bayou, but an editorial in the PowWow rebutted the opinion of residents on the other side of the bayou who complained about the students. One can only imagine.

With more than 53,000 students, faculty and staff who have walked our campus over the last 75 years, there must be thousands of first dates, romances, proposals and marriages that have occurred.

We know that Cupid struck early on our campus as the first issue of the PowWow reported the marriage of Lillian Herron Mitchell and Fred Williamson in December 1931. We also know that a 1933 graduate proposed to the object of his affection under a tree on what was once the College Avenue Boulevard. In more recent times, at least one proposal was made on the footbridge crossing the bayou and another at half time of a football game.

We can't say that all the romantic places of the past still exist - I know the area between the wooden nursing buildings on College Avenue, a thriving place in the late 1960s (supposedly it was the only dark place on the campus ... or at least that was the story), is gone. However there are still plenty of romantic sights and sites ... Brown Auditorium is still a place where couples can hold hands at a play, concert or musical, and the library still inspires studying and romances.

Well, shall we walk? One route begins at Bry Hall (the 1939 library) and takes us along the DeSiard side of Stubbs Hall under the wonderful new lights that remind us of New Orleans, then proceeds east to University House and along the bayou walk to the library, then across the car bridge to the footbridge while looking at the bayou, lights in the buildings or hopefully a full moon rising ... and of course continuing that wonderful conversation.

I wonder how many proposals have actually been made on our campus. I know of four. Do you know of any?

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor