The new First Ladies Garden between Shores Hall and Legacy Park is set to sprout by Homecoming weekend this year. Vice President for Alumni and Parent Relations Liz Howell said the garden will be dedicated on Oct. 24 at 11 a.m.
According to Howell, the projected cost of the garden is approximately $650,000, which she fundraised from Harding alumni. According to Howell, almost all of the money was donated by women.
“People have really embraced this idea,” Howell said. “We have lots of generous people who helped make this dream a reality.”
Howell said the proposal for the garden was made in 2013 as a way to honor Chancellor David Burks and his wife Leah Burks as he stepped down from his presidency. Initially, the garden was going to be positioned between the Ezell building and Keller Hall, but Burks and Howell decided it would better serve as a connection between the new Legacy apartments and the older parts of campus.
The garden will include five distinct semicircles along its main path with each of the five former first ladies’ favorite flowers. At one end of the main path is the Legacy bell tower, and at the other end there will be a fountain with a sculpture inside. The design for the sculpture is identical to the new logo created for the 50th anniversary of the Christian service organization Women for Harding.
The retaining wall for the parking lot in front of Shores and Pryor has been converted into a Legacy Wall of Honor, with plaques commemorating women from Harding’s history. According to Howell, plaques of recognition for family members, professors and graduates can also be purchased for $1,000, or $17 per month over a 60 month period. The plaques are four inches by one foot brushed stainless steel.
“In every family there is a first lady — someone who holds the family together,” Howell said. “It’s an opportunity to honor the significance of women in Harding’s history.”
Howell said an enclosed secret garden area and an outdoor classroom will be placed on the lawn between Pryor and Shores. The outdoor classroom will include stone benches set up in an amphitheater formation and a stone podium for professors. Howell said the idea for the classroom came from history professor Dr. Kevin Klein.
Klein said outdoor classes happen frequently at Harding, and he believes in their benefits. The new classroom area could potentially cut down on problems like excessive noise or lack of seating.
“The idea was to have a space where you know you’ve minimized the negative distractions,” Klein said. “When we change up rhythms, it can help us to reconnect with our students. It’s about getting out of a rut.”
Klein said a system will be established for teachers to periodically reserve the classroom area to ensure it can be utilized by as many teachers as possible.
Although the First Ladies Garden is scheduled for completion by Homecoming, Howell said there is plenty of room for growth. More flowerbeds may be added to empty spaces in the main walkway for future Harding first ladies, connecting pieces of Harding history in a tangible way.
