 his
past summer the Texas A&M Board of Regents, as part of a major
library expansion project, approved nearly $3 million to begin the
restoration of the Cushing Library. In many ways this event
provided formal recognition of the Cushing Library as a
significant and historically valuable structure. As we have seen
in the previous parts of the story, Cushing was the first building
constructed solely as a library. Generations of Aggies fondly
recall its lounges, nooks and crannies as spots for quiet study
and reflection, a place of respite from rigors of military
discipline. In 1968 it became an annex to the larger Sterling C.
Evans Library, a condition only magnified by subsequent additions
and modification. Despite the ravages of time, it still remains as
one of the most significant pieces of architecture on the Texas
A&M campus. Lastly, the building is significant because
of the man that it honors. Col. Edward Benjamin Cushing did more
for Texas A&M than anyone other than Lawrence Sullivan Ross.
Were it not for Cushing, Texan A&M might now be in Austin as
the University of Texas' college of agriculture. Certainly nothing
could have been more fitting than to name the first library for
this great and loyal former student.
A number of years ago Dr. Don Dyal ' 80 began
informal discussions on the possibility of restoring Cushing. That
idea grew into a vision that will become a reality of new concrete
and steel and the restored rich dark oak of decades past. |
The generous support of the Board of
Regents will stabilize and repair the building. However,
additional moneys will have to be raised to the complete the
vision. With the proper funding, the old reading room on the
second floor can be restored to its former grandeur. Its stenciled
ceiling, ornamental iron grill work and carved oak bookcases will
once again invite the scholar to linger over a rare book or
manuscript. Quiet reading areas will be a haven for students to
immerse themselves in the written and visual history of their
University. In addition, new exhibit areas can proudly display the
many artifacts of Texas A&M's storied past. Here will be a
safe, secure and suitable home for the papers of Ross, Harrington,
and Rudder.
Your help is greatly needed to make the vision
of a restored Cushing Library a reality. The restoration of the
Cushing Library is a unique opportunity to make a lasting
contribution toward the preservation of our university's history.
To find out how you can help make a difference in this project,
please contact one of the following:
Donald Dyal '80 Head-Special Collections,
Manuscripts and Archives Sterling C. Evans Library Texas A&M
University College Station, Texas 77843-5000 Phone 409 845 1951
David Moore '74 Director of Development Sterling C. Evans
Library Texas A&M University College Station, Texas 77843-5000
Phone 409 845 1951 |
