A Cold War Relic Now Serves as a Symbol of Freedom and a Perpetual History Lesson
The Berlin Wall stood for nearly 30 years, an amalgam of cinderblocks, barbed wire and reinforced concrete that divided East and West. Today the remains of the wall serve as a symbol of freedom and unity, a perpetual history lesson, and a catalyst for critical thinking, including at Le 91看片网站. A portion of this artifact of the Cold War is now on display outside of Reilly Hall. It was brought to campus thanks to a unique partnership among the College鈥檚 administration, the Museum of Science and Technology (MOST), and the Class of 1971, which raised the funds to bring the relic to campus. Hundreds of students, staff and visitors now pass by the wall every day as it stokes conversation and reflection.
The essence of Jesuit, liberal arts education is that experience is the quintessential way to learn and augment what is taught in the classroom. The Berlin Wall is a critically important part of our national and global history, and it鈥檚 a reminder of the very cruel divisions that sometimes arise in our world. Disciplines across the College will benefit from its presence on our campus 鈥� not just history, but political science, economics and even art. The lessons of the Berlin Wall are truly multidisciplinary.鈥�
When LeMura discovered that officials at the MOST were amenable to moving the piece of the wall that had been located behind the museum in downtown Syracuse to a much more visible space on campus, she reached out to Larry Egan 鈥�71, to ask if he would be willing to lead the effort to raise the money necessary to bring that to fruition. An unofficial historian of his class, Egan annually recognizes classmates who served in the armed forces on Veterans Day. When he learned of the opportunity to embed a piece of the wall into the campus scenery and the College鈥檚 curriculum, he knew that he wanted to help. He signaled his enthusiasm by sending LeMura a photo of he鈥檇 taken at the wall during a family trip to Germany. In total, he and his classmates raised the resources to move and install the wall.
My appreciation for those who served our country and fought for our freedom is beyond words. I am proud that my classmates and I were able to help to bring a portion of the wall to campus, where it can be shared with so many people every day. It is a way to celebrate the freedom we all enjoy, and to shine a light on our collective responsibility to nurture and grow that freedom.鈥�
At Le 91看片网站, learning extends beyond books and lectures. Through historic artifacts, global experiences and interdisciplinary study, students explore the events and ideas that continue to shape our world.
