Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

When I visited Penn State last week, there were a few surprises greeting me. Things are always changing there, of course, and I saw more while visiting for the Arts Fest.

The public library, Schlow Library, has been reduced to a pile of rubble, and promises to rebuilt as a bigger, better structure, with better handicapped accessibility.

For now, it was entertaining to see people in colorful summer clothes walking nonchalantly by the pile of rubble.

On campus, they've added a huge alumni center onto the president's house, which is bigger than the original house.

Of course, the president hasn't lived in that house since it became a common site for protesters during the '60s and '70s. I think those were aging hippies on the lawn, reclaiming their past glory.

When we walked by, a steady stream of alumni were visiting an information tent out front, registering for some sort of all-purpose reunion or alumni weekend. I know this because I would see people in the crowd from time to time, wearing pins that said "Class of 1972," for example.

Then, of course, there was the poor Fighting Red Onionhead sculpture, which as you can see, has hit some hard times. It used to look like an onion-headed man holding a gun, and now it's barely recognizable.

And there was the State College high school, which is now so overcrowded they're forced to house some students in temporary tents on the football field.

OK, I'll fess up. Those last two were made up. The sculpture is actually a red steel fancy by an artist who had a booth on campus, and the tents on the high school field were apparently some sort of maze.

But I don't blame you if you believed me. With all the changes I've seen at Penn State since I graduated, nothing surprises me anymore.

Copyright 2004 by Alyce Wilson

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