Wandering about ULM continues to east side

Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, December 10, 2006

At the urging of Eris Ginn and William A. Walker, I decided to extend my wanderings to the east side of the bayou.

In fact, Dr. Walker provided a most excellent reason for any of us to wander as he said, "By wandering, there are treasures to be found."

So in addition to instructions from a mentor and the obvious reason that it is a way to view our campus, here are other treasures to find. After getting a cup of tea at Starbucks, I proceeded north along the bayou and across the footbridge, built in 1964.

If you have not been on this path in a while, the green space is outstanding, more so than a football field, with views of the library through the trees - never before seen! The bayou itself, of course, is so calming and breathtaking and worth a pause.

Following Ginn's and Walker's directions, I entered Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Inside, there is much to see, including a pair of shoes in a display case along with trophies and photos and a name Eun Jung Lee - the personification of women's basketball at our college.

Further along the corridor is the Athlete's Hall of Fame with 98 plaques identifying our sports heroes, beginning appropriately with Coach Jim Malone.

My next stop was Malone Stadium. A trip through the Scogin Room led me to paintings of J.H. "Slim" Scogin himself, along with legendary coaches of our college Lenny Fant, Bob Groseclose, Dixie White - as well as a photo of a legendary football player named Bobby Kellogg.

To my eyes, the best "treasures" in Malone Stadium are images of Coach Malone himself. In the entrance hallway, there is a portrait of a young Coach Malone. In the Scogin Room there is a photograph of a "senior" Coach Malone, complete with glasses and much gray hair. Suddenly I realized what is similar about these images. In both, Coach Malone is looking far into the future and, while satisfied with the past, seems to be smiling with anticipation and appreciation of what he sees.

My next stop was the Anna Gray Noe Alumni Center. Here, one can find an impressive and lovely bust of Anna Gray Noe herself. In viewing this image, I realized that other than the planting of pines, I was not sure about the role she played in the founding of our college and promised myself that I would find out soon.

My final stop before returning to grade final exams was the Lake C. Oxford Natatorium. Here, we find both a portrait of Lake Oxford and a bas-relief plaque, which is, I believe, the only bas-relief image on our campus.

Wandering. One could argue that it is a splendid way to walk a path and find treasures on our campus. It surely is one way to appreciate what a magnificent and awesome campus we enjoy. Have a great day at ULM!

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor