We Died BravelyDean Hallmark
SPRING 2002 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 1
The LEGENDS of PINE HILL CEMETERY
n Italian marble statue of a small boy kneeling with a lizard in his lap haunts the south end of Pine Hill Cem-etery on Armstrong Street. Though not intentionally so, it is a startling image. Violence has cruelly touched this sweet memorial to a beloved child: the statue is headless. The child buried there is Charles Stodghill Miles, who was only eight years old in 1937 when he died from an allergic reaction to an insect bite. The statue has been the object of vandalism sev-eral times in the last 60 years, repeatedly being stolen and recovered. The head was never found, though, and, adding insult to injury, the marble child now kneels with an also-decapitated lizard in his lap. This story is just one of many Ann Pearson, president of the Auburn Historical Society, knows about Pine Hill Cemetery. Her bumper sticker says it all: âMember of the Association for Gravestone
Studies.â As an unofficial tour guide one afternoon, she wore a faded black T-shirt with white block letters that read, âPine Hill Cemetery.â Mary Norman, vice president of the Heritage Association and chairman of the Auburn Historical Preservation Com-mittee, was her companion tour guide that day. The two women finished each otherâs sentences and added bits and pieces to each otherâs tales of the gravestones. Pearson and Norman gave a tour of the plots, relating the stories of each one as they ambled through the six acres of Pine Hill. As recently as 40 years ago, cows were the primary caretakers of Pine Hill. They knocked over gravestones and wandered about until Mollie Hollifield (buried in Pine Hill in 1963 and restorer of the 37th Alabama Infantryâs Regimen-tal Flag which now hangs in Ralph B. Draughon Library; and the first woman elected to the board of directors of
the First National Bank of Auburn) organized a walk to raise money for a fence at the property lines of the cemetery. Since then, the Auburn Historical Society has dedicated its efforts to a long-term restoration of Pine Hill, including its annual Lantern Tour in April. The residents of the cemetery come to life when Historical Society members and friends act the parts of some of the cemeteryâs more colorful inhabitants. In appropriate costumes, the actors share their charactersâ stories: some sweet, some funny, some disturbing. Groups are guided through the plots at dusk, their way lit by more than 600 luminaries. Several years before the Civil War, Judge John J. Harper of Harris County, Ga., founded a Methodist college in the still nameless community. His son was courting a 16-year-old named Lizzie Taylor, who happened to be reading Oliver Goldsmithâs poem, âThe Deserted Village.â She suggested the name âAuburnâ after the town in the poem. Judge Harper, his three sons, and Lizzie are buried in Pine Hill, but Lizzieâs grave is unmarked and where she actually lies is unknown. The veteran tour guides began walking toward the back fence of the cemetery, where a Confederate memorial stands. A mass grave containing 98 unknown Confederate soldiers fills the large, grassy area in front of it. âThere are actually 70 known Confederate soldiers buried in Pine Hill,â Pearson said. Each has a distinct marker identifying them as members of the Confederate Army. Pearson explained that Samford Hall now stands where Old Main stood before it burned, and that Old Main had been used as a Red Cross hospital during the Civil War. The soldiers who died there were laid to rest in the mass grave in Pine Hill. A favorite character in the cemetery is William (Uncle Bil-ly) Mitchell, who died in 1856. He had an obsession with his
Editorâs Note: Auburn the city and Auburn the campus have always been inextricably linked. Student staffer Jenny Britain â02 discovered just that during a recent visit to Auburnâs oldest cemetery, Pine Hill, which dates back to 1837.
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The LEGENDS of PINE HILL CEMETERY
feather bed and loved to sleep so much that he requested to be buried in it. His grave is easily distinguishable; it is above ground and quite large. Uncle Billy and his bed are buried thereâso legend saysâwith his house shoes underneath. Turning south and heading back toward the front gate, the two women paused at Jeff Wynnâs gravestone. Wynn was killed by a cousin in a hunting accident in 1859. For un-known reasons, his family did not mark his grave. Wynnâs slave and companion, Amos, was grieved by the omission and determined to save enough money to place a marker at Wynnâs grave. Amos became a well digger in townâearning $4 a wellâand worked until he could afford a simple marker that reads âJeff Wynn. Died July 26, 1859. By Amos Wynn.â Almost 100 years later, after Amos Wynn had been buried in Baptist Hill Cemetery (Auburnâs oldest separate black burial ground, on East Thach Avenue), Dr. Charles Glenn heard the story and paid for a granite marker at Amosâ grave. Pine Hill is a final resting spot for many of Auburnâs famous. Familiar names of streets and buildingsânames of people who have shaped Auburnâcan be found within the cemeteryâs gates. Five of Auburnâs 15 presidents and George Petrie, author of the beloved âAuburn Creed,â lie there. Jethro Walker, a prominent Auburn lawyer and plantation owner, was buried in 1858 after being shot in the head while read-ing his Bible in the parlor of his home. Legend says his son was his murderer. John Bowles Glenn, chairman of the first Board of Trustees was buried in 1869; Dr. John Hodges Drake, buried at Pine Hill in 1926, was the collegeâs doctor for more than 50 years. His favorite âremedyâ for truancy was requiring the so-called patient to swallow two large and potent laxative pills. Dr. Charles Allen Cary, the first dean and
professor of the Southâs first School of Veterinary Medi-cine, was buried in 1935; Dr. Luther N. Duncan, Auburnâs ninth president and builder of Graves Amphitheater, died in 1947; Frances Duggar, buried in 1977, once made a citizenâs arrest of Athletic Director David Housel for double parking at the Auburn Post Office. Red and Luckie Thomas Meagher, buried in 1995, owned the Doll House, an eatery later called the Flush or the Sani-Freeze. Founders, creators, entrepre-neursâall have found rest in Pine Hill. As Pearson said, âIf I had to choose the most historical site left in Auburn, Iâd pick Pine Hill because it is a microcosm of the city: prominent faculty members, businessmen, mayors, doc-tors, lawyers, merchants....â Toward the end of the tour, Pearson and Norman pointed out a lone headstone against a fence, almost hidden from view. Though countless slaves
are believed to be buried in Pine Hill, there is only one marked grave of a black per-son: Gatsy Rice, whose dates are unknown. The rest of the slaves were buried near Riceâs marker on the north end of the cemetery. After Rice was freed, she worked as a seamstress and ran a boarding house in downtown Auburn. She cooked for and sewed military uniforms for the college boys. âAn anonymous white man paid for her marker because he admired her courage,â Nor-man said. Pearson and Norman finished the tour and headed their separate ways: two women whose lives come together from time to time within the gates of this historic burial ground. The whispers of history in the old cemetery, all the familiar namesâDowdell, Biggin, Dudley, Lupton, Drake, Brounâare irresistible. Pine Hill Cemetery is a trea-sury of Auburnâs deadâfor Auburnâs living.
SPRING 2002 17
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Itâs impossible to know for sure what thoughts were going through Lt. Robert Edward (Dean) Hallmarkâs mind 60 years ago this spring, as he waited in the pi-lotâs seat of his twin-engine B-25 bomber to follow Col. Jimmy Doolittle off the swaying deck of the air-craft carrier USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. Itâs likely, however, that, as he reflected on the path which had brought him to his own personal rendezvous with his-tory, he thought of his time at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API), where he had cut short a promising football career to join the Army Air Corps and pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.
Hallmark,â aâ nativeâ ofâGreenville,â Tex.,â enteredâAPIâ fromâ Parisâ (Tex.)â Ju-niorâ Collegeâ inâ 1936â onâ aâfootballâ scholarship.â Hisâfreshmanâ photoâ inâ theâ1936â Glomerataâ showsâ aâhandsome,â serious-look-ingâyoungâman.âHeâwasâanâoutstandingâ linemanâ onâtheâ1936âfreshmanâfootballâteam,â whichâ beatâ GeorgiaâTechâ andâ Birmingham-
Southernâinâtheâonlyâtwoâgamesâtheyâplayed.âHisânameâisâref-erencedâinâthatâsameâGlomerataâasâanâoutstandingâplebeâonâtheâteam.
ButâHallmarkâsâambitionâwasânotâfocusedâonâbeingâaâfootballâstarâatâAuburn.âHeâintendedâtoâbecomeâaâpilot,âandâwithâwarâthreateningâinâEurope,âheâdroppedâoutâofâAuburnâinâ1937âandâlaterâjoinedâtheâArmyâAirâCorps.âInâ1941,âheâwasâassignedâasâaâmemberâofâpilotâtrainingâclassâ41EâinâOntario,âCalif.âHisâin-structorâthereâwasâanâoldâAuburnâclassmateâandâfriend,âRolandâB.âScottââ38.âAfterâgraduatingâfromâclassâ41E,âHallmarkâwentâonâtoâMoffettâField,âonâtheâsouthâendâofâSanâFranciscoâBay,âforâbasicâtraining.âAfterâfinishingâthere,âheâtookâadvancedâtrain-ingâatâStockton,âCalif.,âwhereâheâreceivedâhisâpilotâsâwings.âHeâwentâonâtoâspecializedâB-25âtraining,âandâlater,âjoinedâDoo-littleâsâsmallâgroupâofâB-25âaircrewâtrainingâforâaâhighlyâsecretâ
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raidâonâJapan.
Hallmarkâwouldâhaveâhadâlittleâenoughâtimeâtoâreflectâthatâday,âasâheâandâhisâfellowâpilotsâpreparedâtoâtakeâtheâwarâtoâtheâJapa-neseâhomelandâforâtheâfirstâtimeâinâaâraidâthatâwasâasâmuchâforâpublicârelationsâpurposesâasâmilitaryâones.âTheâmissionâwasâcomingâjustâmonthsâafterâtheâattackâonâPearlâHarbor,âatâaâtimeâwhenâU.S.âmoraleâbadlyâneededâaâboost.âTheâforcesâofâAmer-icaâandâitsâalliesâinâtheâPacificâwarâhadâbeenâtakingâaâbeatingâeverâsinceâtheâsneakâattack.âEverywhereâfromâtheâPhilippinesâandâWakeâIslandâtoâSingaporeâandâtheâDutchâEastâIndiesâtheâseeminglyâinvincibleâforcesâofâtheâRisingâSunâwereâascendant.â
Desperateâforâaâvictory,âPresidentâFranklinâRooseveltâforce-fullyâexpressedâaâdesireâtoâbombâJapan,âjustâasâsoonâandâasâhardâasâpossible.âTheâattackâwouldâbeâprimarilyâ forâpsychologi-calâreasons,âprovidingâaâboostâforâsaggingâU.S.âmoraleâandâaâwake-upâcallâforâtheâJapaneseâgovernment,âwhichâhadâassuredâ
itsâcitizensâthatâtheâislandânationâwasâbeyondâtheâAlliesââreach.âInâresponseâtoâRooseveltâsâwishes,âaâNavyâofficerânamedâFran-cisâS.âLowâcameâupâwithâtheâideaâofâlaunchingâlightlyâloadedâB-25âMitchellâbombersâfromâaâcarrier.â
Theâideaâwasâextremelyârisky,âasâtheâB-25âwasâconsiderablyâlargerâthanâanyâaircraftâpreviouslyâlaunchedâfromâaâcarrier.âButâtheâMitchellâwasâtheâonlyâplaneâinâtheâU.S.âarsenalâsmallâenoughâtoâfitâonâaâcarrierâsâdeck,âyetâwithâtheârangeâneededâtoâallowâtheâshipsâtoâsuccessfullyâevadeâdetectionâandâescapeâafterâtheâlaunch.âEvenâso,âtheâmissionâwouldâbeâone-way.âTheâplanesâcouldânotâreturnâtoâlandâonâtheâcarrierâthatâlaunchedâthem,âmeaningâtheâcrewsâwouldâhaveâtoâtakeâtheirâchancesâ
onâ overf lyingâ Japan,â land-ingâinâChina,âandâseekingâoutâfriendlyâ Chineseâ soldiersâ orâpartisansâtoâhelpâthemâevadeâtheâJapaneseâandâlinkâupâwithâAmericanâforces.
OnâAprilâ2,â1942,âtheâHor-netâ (CV-8)â andâ herâ escortâ
stoodâoutâofâSanâFranciscoâBay,âherâdeckâcrammedâwithâ16âB-25s,â theâmaximumânumberâ itâcouldâaccommodate.âTheâcarrierâUSS Enterpriseâ(CV-6)âwouldâlaterâjoinâtheâsmallâtaskâforceâtoâprovideâdefensiveâcover,âsinceâtheâHornetâwasâunableâtoâlaunchâitsâownâWildcatâfighters.âTheâmissionâplanâcalledâforâtheâHornetâtoâsteamâwithinâ400âmilesâofâJapan,âsoâthatâDoo-littleâcouldâtakeâoffâsoâasâtoâarriveâoverâTokyoâjustâatâsunsetâandâdropâhisâfourâincendiaryâbombsâonâaâfactoryâcomplexâinâtheâcenterâofâtheâcity.âTheâotherâ15âB-25sâwouldâthenâtakeâoffâlater,âand,âusingâtheâfiresâofâDoolittleâsâattack,âstrikeâtheirâownâtargets.âBut,âasâsimpleâasâtheâplanâwas,âitâdidnâtâwork.
TheâJapaneseâhadâstrungâaâlineâofâpicketâboatsâ650âmilesâoffshore,âandâtheâHornetâandâitsâescortsâbrushedâacrossâthreeâofâtheseâboatsâinâquickâsuccession.âOneâwasâsunk,âbutâitâwasâfearedâ thatâ aâ secondâ boatâ hadâ gottenâ offâ aâ radioâ messageâpriorâtoâbeingâdestroyedâbyâgunfire.âAsâaâresult,âtheâoriginalâ
sâtheâ16âB-25sâpackedâtightlyânoseâtoâtailâsatâidlingâonâtheâdeckâofâtheâHornet,âitâwasâtimeâtoâseeâifâtheâmonthsâofâintenseâtrainingâandâplanningâwouldâbeâworthâit.A
roundingâDoolittleâsâ takeoff.ââWeâwatchedâhimâ likeâhawks,âwonderingâwhatâtheâwindâwouldâdoâtoâhimâandâwhetherâweâcouldâgetâoffâinâthatâlittleârunâtoâtheâbow.âIfâheâcouldnât,âweâcouldnât.
âDoolittleâpickedâupâspeedâandâheldâtoâhisâline,âand,âjustâasâtheâHornetâliftedâupâonâaâwave...Doolittleâsâplaneâtookâoff.âHeâhadâyardsâtoâspare.âHeâhungâhisâshipâ[plane]âalmostâstraightâupâonâitsâprops,âuntilâweâcouldâseeâtheâwholeâtopâofâhisâB-25.âThenâ
heâleveledâoffâandâIâwatchedâhimâcomeâaroundâinâaâtightâcircleâandâshootâlowâoverâourâheads.ââ
EachâB-25âhadâaâcrewâofâfiveâairmen:âpilot,âcopilot,â engineer-gunner,â bombardier,â andânavigator.âThisâequatedâtoâaâtotalâofâ80âair-menâforâtheâ16âB-25sâusedâinâtheâraid.âTheâtailâgunsâhadâbeenâremovedâfromâtheâplanesâtoâfurtherâreduceâweight,âleavingâtheâaircraftâwithâpreciousâlittleâdefensiveâfirepowerâshouldâtheyâmeetâfighterâoppositionâoverâtheâtarget.â
Surprise,âtherefore,âwasâcritical.
HallmarkâsâB-25,âdubbedâtheââGreenâHornetââbyâitsâcrew,âtookâoffâsixthâinâlineâandâsetâoffâjustâoverâtheâwaveâtopsâonâtheâflightâtoâTokyo,âwhereâitsâtargetâwasâaâsteelâmillâandâindustrialâcomplex.âArrivingâoverâtheâtargetâinâtheâcompanyâofâtwoâoth-erâB-25s,âtheââGreenâHornetââencounteredâsomeâantiaircraftâfire,âbutâmadeâtwoârunsâoverâtheâtarget,âdroppingâitsâfourâ500-lb.âbombsâonâtheâsurprisedâJapanese.âOnceâtheâbombsâwereâre-leased,âHallmarkâturnedâhisâMitchellâtowardâChinaâandâcom-parativeâsafety,âbutâtheâfuelâsituationâalreadyâlookedâgrim.â
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planâwasâjunkedâandâTaskâForceâCommanderâCapt.âMarcâMitscherâorderedâtheâB-25âcrewsâtoâmanâtheirâplanesâearly,âwhileâtheâcarriersâwereâstillâ600âmilesâfromâtheâtarget.âTheâextraâ200âmilesâwouldâstretchâtheârangeâofâtheâB-25s,âandâjeopardizeâtheirâplansâtoâlandâatâdesignatedâChineseâairfields,âbut,âwithâtheâJapaneseâpossiblyâalerted,âtheâpreciousâcarriersâmightâbeâinâgraveâperilâifâtheyâsteamedâanyâcloser.âCol.âDoo-littleâlaunchedâatâ0815âhours,â18âApril,â1942.âTheârestâofâtheâplanesâwereârightâbehindâhim.
Duringâ training,âeveryâpilotâhadâ learnedâtoâ takeâoffâatâ60âknotsâwithinâtheâlengthâofâaâcarrierâdeckâaboutâ1,000âfeet,âmarkedâoffâonâaâlandâairstripâatâaâgrossâweightâofâ27,000âpounds.âOnâthisâday,âtheyâtookâoffâinâ350âfeetâintoâaâ40-knotâwindâloadedâwithâ31,000âpounds.âSuchâaâtakeoffâwasâtheo-reticallyâpossible,âbutânoâoneâknewâifâitâwouldâactuallyâworkâuntilâDoolittleâledâtheâsquadronâoffâtheâdeck.âAsâpilotâofâtheâleadâplane,âtheâcolonelâhadâtheâshortestâamountâofâdeckâspaceâtoâtakeâoffâinâandâtheâsmallestâmarginâforâerror.
WritingâlaterâinâThirty Seconds Over Tokyo,âaâmemoirâofâtheâraid,âraiderâpilotâTedâLawson,ârecalledâtheâsuspenseâsur-
heâ16âspecialâB-25sâonâtheâHornetâsâdeckâhadâbeenâmodifiedâtoâcarryâ1,141âgallonsâofâfuelâ(460âmoreâthanâstandard)âandâotherâspecialâequipment.
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Carolina Pigeon or Turtle Dove, No. 4, Plate 17 American Sparrow Hawk, No. 29, Plate CXLII
Black-billed Cuckoo, 1828
Theâotherâ15âbombersâinâtheâraidâhitâTokyoâandâfourâotherâcities,âcausingâslightâdamage,âbutâshockingâJapaneseâleadersâandâciviliansâwhoâhadâthoughtâU.S.âforcesâcouldnâtâreachâtheirâcountryâfromâAmericanâbases.âEachâaircraftâthenâsetâitsâownâindividualâcourseâforâtheâChineseâcoast,âwhereâeachâcrewâfacedâitsâownâpersonalâstruggleâforâsurvival.âDoolittleâandâ66âothersâcameâdownâinâunoccupiedâChinaâorâtheâUSSR,âandâeventu-allyâmadeâtheirâwayâbackâtoâU.S.âforces.âFiveâofâtheâ80âairmenâdrownedâorâwereâkilledâwhenâtheyâbailedâoutâofâstrickenâair-craft.âAndâeight,âincludingâHallmarkâandâtwoâofâhisâcrew,âwereâcapturedâinâChina.
âBothâmotorsâcutâoutâaboutâtheâsameâtime,âârecalledânaviga-torâLt.âChaseâJ.âNielsenâinâtestimonyâafterâtheâwar.ââTheâleftâwingâhitâtheâwaterâfirstâandâseveredâtheâwingâoffârightâupâcloseâtoâtheâfuselage,âand,âasâtheâfuselageâhit,âitâsplitâopenâallâtheâwayâ
downâtoâtheâbottom.âTheâpilotâ[Hallmark]âwasâthrownâfromâhisâchairârightâoutâthroughâtheâwindshield.âTheâgunnerâwasâstillâinâhisâturretâandâwentâdown.âHeâsaidâheâthoughtâheâwasâaboutâ20âfathomsâdeepâbutâheâfinallyâgotâout....âWeâallâfinallyâgotâoutâofâtheâplaneâandâgotâtheâlifeâraftâout.âOurâlifeâraftâwouldnâtâworkâandâtheâbombardierâandâgunnerâwereâprettyâbadlyâbeatenâup.ââ
Theâ mostâ seriouslyâ injuredâ crewmen,â Sgt.â Donaldâ E.âFitzmaurice,âtheâgunner,âandâCpl.âWilliamâJ.âDieter,âtheâbom-bardier,âbothâdrownedâtryingâtoâswimâashore.âTheirâbodiesâwereâlaterâburiedâonâtheâbeachâbyâHallmark,âLt.âRobertâMeder,âtheâcopilot,âandâLt.âNielsen,âtheânavigator.âHallmark,âwhoâhadâ
survivedâgoingâthroughâtheâplaneâsâwind-shieldâonâimpactâwithâtheâwater,âandâMed-erâhadâalsoâbeenâinjuredâinâtheâcrashâandâcouldâbarelyâwalk.â
TheâthreeâsurvivorsâofâtheââGreenâHor-netââencounteredâChineseâguerrillas,âwhoâworkedâ themâ downâ theâ coastâ forâ threeâdaysâtoâWanchow,âbutâtheyâwereâunableâtoâescapeâtheâJapaneseâdragnet.âAâlargeâpa-trolâofâapproximatelyâ300âJapaneseâtroopsâ
searchedâtheâvillageâwhereâ theyâwereâhidingâandâeventuallyâflushedâthemâout.âTheâtrioâwasâtakenâtoâShanghai,âwhereâtheyâquicklyâdiscoveredâtheirâordealâhadâjustâbegun.
heâtroublesâforâHallmarkâandâhisâcrewâbeganâwhenâtheyâranâoutâofâfuelâandâcrashedâintoâtheâseaâoffâtheâChinaâcoast.T
Yearsâlater,âtestifyingâbeforeâaâwarâcrimesâtribunal,âNielsenâre-calledâsomeâofâtheâparticularsâofâtheirâtreatment.
âTheyâpushedâmeâoverâtoâaâwallâandâraisedâmyâarmsâaboveâmyâhead.âThereâwasâaâstoutâwoodenâpegâinâtheâwallâthatâIâhadnâtâno-ticedâbefore.âTheyâboostedâmeâupâandâhungâme...byâtheâchainâonâmyâhandcuffs.âWhenâtheyâletâmeâgoâmyâtoesâjustâbarelyâtouchedâtheâfloor,âbutânotâenoughâtoâeaseâtheâstrainâonâmyâarms.âInâaâfewâminutes,âtheâpainâinâmyâwristsâwasâsoâintenseâthatâIâwasâalmostâsickâtoâmyâstomach....âMyâleftâarmâthatâhadâbeenâinjuredâinâtheâairplaneâcrashâwasâswollenâandâlookedâlikeâitâwasâgettingâbloodâpoisonâinâit.âIâdonâtâknowâhowâlongâIâhungâthereâbeforeâIâpassedâout.ââ
Hallmarkâandâhisâsurvivingâcrewâmembersâwerenâtâtheâonlyâonesâundergoingâsuchâtreatment.âTheâcrewâofâtheâNo.â16âair-planeâhadâbailedâoutâoverâtheâJapanese-occupiedâcityâofâNan-chang,âandâallâfiveâhadâbeenâcapturedâimmediately.âAfterâsev-eralâdaysâofâbrutalâquestioning,âtheâNo.â16âcrewâandâtheâthreeâsurvivorsâofâtheâNo.â6â[Hallmark]âcrewâwereâflownâtoâTokyoâforâfurtherâquestioning,âalthoughâtheâJapaneseâalreadyâknewâallâtheâdetailsâofâtheâmission,âhavingâretrievedâdocumentsâfromâsomeâofâtheâcrashedâB-25s.â
TheyâremainedâinâtheâJapaneseâcapitalâuntilâmid-June,âwhileâtheâconstantâtorture,âsolitaryâconfinement,âlackâofâmedicalâtreat-ment,âandâpoorâdietâtookâaâterribleâtoll.âHallmarkâandâseveralâotherâprisonersâwereâcoercedâintoâsigningâstatementsâinâJapanese,ânotâ realizingâ thatâ theâ statementsâwereâactuallyââconfessionsââinâwhichâtheyâadmittedâtoâactsâofâterror,âsuchâasâtheâintentionalâstrafingâofâschoolsâandâbombingâofâresidentialâneighborhoods,âagainstâcivilians.
OnâJuneâ18,âtheâprisonersâwereâputâaboardâaâshipâandâsentâbackâtoâShanghai.âThere,âtheyâcontinuedâtoâliveâinâterribleâconditionsâforâtheânextâ70âdays.âAllâtheâmenâhadâdysenteryâandâwereâsuffer-ingâfromâtheâearlyâstagesâofâberiberi.âHallmark,âwhoâhadâneverârecoveredâfromâwoundsâtoâhisâlegsâsufferedâinâtheâplaneâcrash,âwasâinâtheâworstâconditionâofâall.âByâlateâAugust,âwhenâtheâpris-onersâfoundâtheyâwereâtoâbeâtriedâforâwarâcrimes,âtheâonceâstrap-pingâAuburnâlinemanâcouldânoâlongerâevenâstand.â
Takenâtoâtheâcourtroomâonâaâstretcher,âHallmarkâwasâdeliriousâduringâmostâofâtheâproceedings.âNotâthatâitâwouldâhaveâmattered.ââWhenâweârealizedâthatâthisâwasâaâtrialâofâsomeâsort,âweâaskedâforâaâtranslation,âbutâthisâwasârefused,âârecalledâLt.âRobertâHite,âtheâcopilotâofâplaneâ16,âinâpost-warâtestimony.ââWeâwereânotâtoldâwhatâtheâchargesâagainstâusâwereâorâwhatâourâsentencesâwere.âNoâinterpretationâwasâmadeâtoâusâofâanyâpartâofâtheâproceedings.â
TheâverdictâdidânotâbecomeâtotallyâclearâuntilâOct.14,âwhenâHallmarkâbyâthenâveryânearâdeathâwasâmovedâtoâsolitaryâcon-finementâandâinformedâthatâheâandâtwoâcrewmenâfromâplaneâ16âwereâtoâbeâexecutedâtheânextâday.âEachâwasâallowedâtoâwriteâoneâ
orâthreeâdays,âHallmark,âMeder,âandââNielsenâwereâquestionedâandâtorturedââbyâtheirâcaptors.F noteâhome.âHallmarkâsâ letterâwasâdirectedâtoâ
hisâfather,âmother,âandâsisterâinâDallas.âHeâtoldâthemâheâhadâdreamedâofâbeingâaâcommercialâpilotâafterâtheâwar,âandâaskedâthatâtheyâprayâforâhim.
âIâhardlyâknowâwhatâtoâsay,ââheâwrote.ââTheyâhaveâjustâtoldâmeâIâamâliableâtoâexecution.âIâcanâhardlyâbelieveâit...IâamâaâprisonerâofâwarâandâIâthoughtâIâwouldâbeâtakenâcareâofâuntilâtheâendâofâtheâwar.â
InâpublicâcemeteryâNo.â1,âjustâoutsideâShanghai,âthreeâwhiteâwoodenâcrossesâstoodâlowâtoâtheâground.âLateâonâtheâafter-noonâofâOct.â15,âtheâthreeâprisonersâwereâbroughtâinâaâtruckâwithâseveralâguards,âevenâthoughâtheyâcouldâbarelyâmoveâbe-causeâofâillness.âEachâwasâtied,âmarkedâonâtheâforehead,âblind-folded,âandâforcedâtoâkneelâwithâtheirâbacksâtoâtheâcrossesâandâarmsâtied.â
TheâJapaneseâprisonâwarden,âSgt.âSotojiroâTatsuta,âmadeâaâshortâspeechâtoâtheâcondemned,âaccordingâtoâhisâownâpost-warâtestimony.ââMenâmustâdieâsoonerâorâlater,ââheâtoldâthem.ââYourâlivesâwereâveryâshortâbutâyourânamesâwillâremainâever-lastingly.ââTheâprisonersâaskedâTatsutaâtoââtellâtheâfolksâbackâhomeâweâdiedâbravely.â
Withâ theâ preliminariesâ complete,â twoâ soldiersâ fromâ theâsmallâfiringâsquadâaimedâatâeachâprisoner.âAtâtheâsignalâtoâfire,âshotsârangâoutâandâtheâmenâdiedâinstantly.âAâquickâcheckâbyâmedicalâofficersâconfirmedâtheirâdeathsâandâtheâbodiesâwereâimmediatelyâtakenâtoâbeâcremated.âSomeâweeksâlater,âtheâurnsâholdingâtheâmenâsâashesâwereâmovedâtoâtheâInternationalâFu-neralâHomeâinâShanghai,âwhereâtheyâremainedâuntilâtheâendâofâtheâwar.âDiscoveredâafterâtheâwar,âtheyâwereâreturnedâtoâtheâU.S.âandâburiedâwithâfullâmilitaryâhonorsâinâArlingtonâNa-tionalâCemetery.âTheâprisonerâsâunmailedâlettersâhomeâwereâdiscoveredâafterâtheâwarâinâtheâfilesâofâtheâJapaneseâMinistryâofâWar.â
WithinâtwoâyearsâofâtheâdeathsâofâHallmarkâandâhisâfellowâraiders,âAmericanâB-29âSuperfortressesâofâtheâ20thâAirâForceâfollowedâtheâpathâblazedâtoâTokyoâandâotherâJapaneseâcitiesâandâdroppedâ theirâbombloadsâwithâdevastatingâandâwar-endingâeffect.âHallmarkâandâtheâotherâexecutedâandâimpris-onedâTokyoâraidersâwereâavengedâmanyâtimesâover.âInâtheâend,âtheâJapaneseâreapedâtheâterribleâresultsâofâtheâtotalâwarâwhichâtheyâhadâinitiated.
Andâ Deanâ Hallmark,â despiteâ hisâ shortâ timeâ atâ Auburn,âproudlyâwearingâtheâorangeâandâblue,âleftâaâlegacyâofâpatrio-tism,âhonor,âbravery,âandâsacrificeâforâtheâAuburnâfamilyâthatâisâhardâtoâmatch.
AUTHORâS NOTE:âIâreliedâheavilyâonâexcellentâmaterialâfromâtheâfollowingâtwoâreferencesâinâcompilingâthisâstory:âNovember-Decemberâ1987âThe Auburn Alumnews,ââRememberingâaâFall-enâHero,âCloseâFriendââbyâRolandâB.âScottââ38;âAir Classics,âvolumeâ28,ânumberâ8,âAugustâ1992,ââReturnâtoâTokyoââbyâMichaelâOâLeary.â
FALL 2001â â 47SPRINGâ2002â 23
44â ââ AUBURNâMAGAZINE
EDITORâS NOTE:âAlumniâandâfriendsâareâoftenâcalledâup-onâtoâhelpâaddressâAuburnâsâpressingâbudgetâneeds,âbutâareâsometimesâconfusedâandâfrustratedâasâtoâwhereâtheâuniversityâsâfundingâcomesâfromâandâhowâitâisâspent.âAtââtheâsuggestionâofâInterimâPresidentâWilliamâF.âWalker,ââAuburn MagazineâinvitedâAUâExecutiveâViceâPresidentâDonâLargeââ75âtoâshareâhisâperspectiveâonâAuburnâsâfinancialâcondition,âoutlook,âandâpriorities.
AM:âBrieflyâcharacterizeâAuburnâsâcurrentâfinancialâstatus,âalongâwithâwhateverâstepsâorâdevelopmentsâyouâfeelâhadâtheâgreatestâimpactâonâthatâstatus.
DL:âInterestingly,âAuburnâsâcurrentâfinancialâstatusâcanâbeâviewedâfromâtwoâperspectives.âFromâoneâperspective,âourâfinancialâstatusâisâconsideredâveryâstrong.âActually,â[Au-burnâisâfiscally]âtheâstrongestâuniversityâinâtheâstateâbasedâonâaârecentâreviewâbyâMoodyâsâInvestorâService.âFromâaâper-spectiveâofâdollarsâperâstudentâforâcarryingâoutâourâmission,âhowever,âweâdoânotâcompareâfavorablyâtoâourâpeerâgroup.âAuburnâsâstateâappropriationsâperâstudentâareâapproximate-lyâ$2,500âlessâthanâtheâaverageâofâourâsouthernâpeerâinstitu-tions.âAdditionally,âweâchargeâaboutâ10âpercentâorâaboutâ$400âlessâperâyearâforâtuitionâthanâourâsouthernâpeerâinsti-tutions.âWhenâyouâconsiderâthatâtheseâtwoâsourcesâmakeâupâapproximatelyâ90âpercentâofâourâunrestrictedâoperatingârev-enues,âyouâbeginâtoâseeâtheâchallengesâweâfaceâwithârespectâtoâfundingâourâprogramsâandâfacilities.â
Asâtoâstepsâorâdevelopmentsâimpactingâtheâcurrentâfinan-cialâstrengthsânotedâbyâMoodyâs,âaâcoupleâofâthoughtsâcomeâtoâmind.ââInâtheâearlyâ1990sâtheâtrusteesâandâadministra-tionârecognizedâthatâfinancialâsupportâfromâtheâstateâwouldâ
24â ââ AUBURNâMAGAZINE
likelyâbeâinsufficientâtoâmaintainâorâgrowâallâtheâprogramsâandâservicesâthatâhadâevolvedâduringâtheââ70sâandââ80s.ââTheâsameâwasâtrue,âincidentally,âforâuniversitiesâacrossâtheâcountry.ââ
TheâBoardâdirectedâthatâtheâuniversityâbeginâaânewâstra-tegicâplanningâprocessâtoâreviewâallâaspectsâofâtheâinstitu-tionâandâdevelopâplansâandâprioritiesâtoâfaceâtheâchallengesâofâtheâ21stâcentury.âThisâeffortâinvolvedâseveralâcommit-teesâandâcommissions,âwithâparticipationâofâtheâadminis-tration,âfaculty,âstaff,âstudents,âAlumniâandâFoundationâBoardâmembers,âandâtrustees.âTheâtwoâprimaryâvehiclesâforârecommendingâchangesâwereâtheâTwenty-FirstâCen-turyâCommission,âoperatingâfromâ1992âtoâ1997,âandâtheâCommissionâonâtheâRoleâofâAuburnâUniversityâinâtheâTwenty-FirstâCentury,âoperatingâfromâ1998âtoâ1999.âAl-thoughâaânumberâofâotherâactionsâalsoâhaveâcontributedâtoâourâcurrentâfinancialâstrength,âtheseâactionsâwereâtheâmostâinstrumentalâinâfocusingâresources,âprioritizingâourâgoals,âandâdevelopingâfuture-focusedâstrategies.
AM:âWhatâeffectâhaveâdevelopmentsâsuchâasâtheâeventsâofâSept.â11âandâtheâeconomicâdownturnânationallyâhadâonâAuburnâsâfinancialâconditionâandânear-termâfutureâout-look?
DL:âTheâfinancialâeffectsâofâSept.â11âonâAuburnâhaveâbeenâsignificantâfromâatâleastâtwoâkeyâperspectives.ââTheâim-pactâonâtheâstateâeconomy,âwhichâultimatelyâcreatesâfundsâtoâsupportâappropriationsâtoâAuburn,âhasâbeenâimpactedânegatively,âthus,âreducingâourârevenuesâfromâtheâstate.âTheâuniversityâsâendowmentsâhaveâalsoâexperiencedâsomeâ
SPRINGâ2002â 25
Bachmanâs Warbler, No. 37,
marketâdeclinesâconsistentâwithâthoseâofâmanyâothersâinâtheâequitiesâmarket.ââFortunately,âmostâofâtheâmarketâdownturnâhasâbeenârecovered.
AM:âAlumniâandâfriendsâareâoftenâcon-fusedâbyâwhatâtheyâperceiveâasâmixedâmessagesâregardingâAuburnâsâfinancialâconditionâandâitsâcriticalâfundingâneeds.ââCanâyouâclearâupâsomeâofâthatâconfusion?
DL:âTheâconfusionâlikelyârelatesâtoâtheâquestionâjustâdiscussed.âTheâbottomâlineâisâthatâweâdoânotâhaveânearlyâtheâsameâdollarsâperâstudentâforâoperationsâasâourâpeers,âbutâweâhaveâmanagedâtoâdoâratherâwellâwithâwhatâweâhaveâbeenâprovidedâinâtermsâofâquality,âproductivity,âandâeffi-ciencies.âWhileâweâhaveâcomeâaâlongâwayâwithâinadequateâfunding,âitâwillâbeâdif-ficultâtoâcontinueâtoâprosperâwithoutâad-ditionalârevenues,âprobablyâfromâprivateâsources.
AM:âCriticsâhaveâoftenâpointedâtoâtheâen-dowmentsâofâAlabamaâsâcollegesâandâuni-versitiesâasâevidenceâthatâhigherâeducationâ
institutionsâhaveâmoreâmoneyâtoâspendâthanâtheyâadmitâandâare,âinâeffect,âhoardingâfunds.âTalkâaboutâtheâroleâAuburnâsâendowmentâplaysâandâtheârestrictionsâregardingâitsâuse.
DL:âEndowmentsâareâoftenâmisunderstoodâorâinâsomeâcasesâmisrepresentedâforâpoliticalâpurposes.âEndowmentsâareâgiftsâprovidedâtoâtheâuniversityâtoâbeâheldâinâperpetuityâandâgenerallyâareârestrictedâforâuseâbasedâonâtheâdonorâsâin-tent.âWhileâendowmentsâenhanceâaâuniversityâsâopportuni-tiesâandâareâcriticalâtoâitsâoverallâquality,âtheseâtypesâofâgiftsâareârarelyâavailableâforâgeneralâoperatingâpurposesâbecauseâofâtheirârestrictedânature.âToâgiveâaâconcreteâexample,âifâtheâstateâwereâtoâprorateâAuburnâsâbudgetâbyâ2âpercentâinâtheâremainderâofâthisâfiscalâyear,âweâcouldnâtâjustâgoâtoâendowmentâfundsâtoâmakeâupâtheâ$4âmillionâshortfall,âbecauseâourâen-dowmentâfundsâareârestrictedâtoâotherâuses.â
AM:âCompareâtheâfiscalâoperationâofââtheâuniversityâwithââthatâofâaââlargeâcorporationâorâbusiness.ââWhatâareâtheâdif-ferences,âsimilarities,âchallenges,âandâpitfallsâinherentâinâsuchâaâcomparison?
DL:âCollegesâandâuniversitiesâdifferâfromâotherâorganiza-tionsâinâmanyâways,âbutâtheâmostâimportantâonesârevolveâaroundâvaluesâandâgoals.âTheâmissionâofâaâcollegeâorâuni-versityâisâtoâcreateâpublicâandâprivateâbenefitsâthatâisâwhyâhigherâeducationâreceivesâtaxâbenefitsâandâsubsidies.âFi-nancialâconsiderationsâareâimportant,âbutâtheyâneverârep-resentâtheâcoreâgoalsâforâwhichâtheâinstitutionâexists.âAca-demicâinstitutionsâcanâbeâleveraged,âmerged,âorâliquidated,âbutâtheyâcannotâbeâbought,âsold,âorâtakenâpublicâorâprivateâlikeâstockâcorporations.âTheirârealâgoalsâareâhighlyâintangi-ble,âinvolvingâimprovementsâtoâhumanâcapitalâandâtheâcre-ationâofânewâknowledge.âBusinessâandâfinancialâgoalsâmustâbeâdesignedâtoâsupportâtheâoverridingâacademicâgoals.âThisâisâchallenging,âbecauseâgoalsâdoâstemâfromâintangiblesâandâmanyâconstituenciesâareâoftenâpartâofâorâclaimârepresenta-tionâinâdecision-makingâprocesses.
Muchâofâtheâvalueâofâhigherâeducationâsâbenefitsâliesâinâtheâeyeâofâtheâbeholder.ââThereâareâaâmultitudeâofââbehold-ers,ââbothâinsideâandâoutsideâacademia,âandâmanyâhaveâtheâinclinationâandâcapacityâtoâinfluenceâinstitutionalâbehavior.ââItâisânotâsurprising,âtherefore,âthatâcollegesâandâuniversitiesâmustâdealâwithâhighâlevelsâofâconflictâlevelsâhigherâthanâusuallyâareâencounteredâinâor-ganizationsâwithâmoreâhomoge-neousâgoals.â
AM:âAuburnâhasâtraditionallyâreceivedâlessâfundingâperâstudentâthanâmostâotherâcollegesâandâuniversitiesâinâAlabama.âWhatâimpactâhasâthisâunder-fundingâhadâonâtheâuniversityâsâbudgetâtrends?
DL:âThisâfundingâcontinuesâtoâchallengeâtheâuniversityâtoâfocusâitsâresourcesâandâprioritiesâ
andâavoidâmissionâdrift.âEvenâwithâtheseâactions,âweâcontinueâtoâbeâchal-
lengedâwithâpayingâourâfacultyâatâcompetitiveâsalaryâlevelsâ
andâaddressingâourâmanyâdeferredâ maintenanceâneeds.âTheâfactâweâareâfundedârelativelyâlowerâthanâourâsisterâinstitu-tionsâinâtheâstateâhasâforcedâusâtoâmakeâveryâdifficultâdecisionsâandâ
cutsâ earl ierâ thanâ theâotherâinstitutions.
26â ââ AUBURNâMAGAZINE
AM:âInârecentâyears,âAuburnâhasâbecomeâincreasinglyâmoreâofâaâstate-assisted,âratherâthanâstate-supported,âinsti-tution.âCanâyouâelaborateâonâthisâtrendâandâtheâeffectâitâhasâhadâonâtheâuniversityâsâbudgetingâprocess?
DL:âDuringâ theâdecadeâofâ theâeighties,âthereâwereâfewâchangesâinâtheârelativeâpercentageâdistri-butionsâofâourâvariousârevenueâsources.âHowever,âduringâtheâpastâ10âyears,âaâsignificantâreductionâinâtheârelianceâonâstateâappropria-tions,âandâaâsignificantâincreaseâinâtheârelativeâcontributionâofâstu-dentâtuitionâandâfeesâtoâtheâtotalârevenuesâofâtheâuniversityâhasâoc-curred.âStateâappropriationsâinâtheâlastâ10âyearsâhaveâdecreasedâfromâ44âpercentâtoâ34âpercentâofâ
totalârevenues,âwhileâtuitionâandâfeesâhaveâincreasedâfromâ15âpercentâtoâ25âpercent.âAsâaâresult,âinâAlabama,âasâinâmostâstates,âfamiliesâareâhavingâtoâabsorbâmoreâofâtheâcostâofâaâcollegeâeducation.
AM:âHowâdoesâAuburnâsâcurrentâfinancialâstatusâcompareâtoâthatâofâotherâcomparableâuniversitiesâinâtheâstate?âRe-gion?âNationally?
DL:âTheâuniversityâsâstrongâfinancialâpositionâisâaffirmedâbyâitsâbondâratings.âInâOctoberâofâ2001,âMoodyâsâper-formedâanâassessmentâofâtheâfinancialâstrengthâofâAuburnâandâupgradedâtheâuniversityâsâbondârating.âOurâcurrentâAa3âratingâisâhigherâthanâanyâotherâacademicâinstitutionâinâAlabama,âandâmatchesâtheâbondâratingâforâtheâStateâofâAlabama.âThisâratingâplacesâusâinâtheâsameâcompanyâasâtheâUniversityâofâSouthâCarolina,âtheâUniversityâofâKentucky,âandâNorthâCarolinaâState,âforâexample.
AccordingâtoâMoodyâs,ââtheâstableâoutlookâonâallâuniver-sityâbondsâreflects...expectationsâofâcontinuedâenrollmentâandâfinancialâresourceâgrowth,âasâwellâasâmaintenanceâofâcurrentâsoundâfinancialâmanagementâpractices.ââAâlotâofâthisâsuccessâhasâtoâbeâcreditedâtoâtheâstrongâfiscalâoversightâofâtheâtrusteesâduringâtheânineties.âTheyâoftenâhadâtoâmakeâtoughâdecisionsâregardingâtheâallocationâofâscarceâresourc-es.âTheâhighâqualityâofâourâfacultyâandâtheârepu-tationâofâAuburnâasâaâresultâalsoâcontrib-utedâgreatlyâtoâMoodyâsâpositiveâviewâofâourâfuture.â
AM:âAuburnâhasâtraditionallyâlaggedâbehindâotherâpeerâuniversitiesâinâtheâamountâofâtuitionâitâcharges.ââIsâthisâstillâtheâcase?ââWhatâlong-termâtrendsâdoâyouâforeseeâinâtermsâofâtuition?
DL:âYes,âAuburnâhasâandâcontinuesâtoâlagâbehindâotherâpeerâinstitutionsâinâtheâamountâofâtuitionâitâchargesâ(ap-proximatelyâ$1,600/semesterâforâin-stateâstudents).âWeâareâcurrentlyâatâaboutâ90âpercentâofâtheâregionalâaverage.âTheâtrusteesâhaveâapprovedâaâgoalâofâmovingâinâaâsystem-aticâmannerâtowardâ100âpercentâofâtheâaverage.âWeâhopeâtoâreachâthisâaverageâwithinâtheânextâtwoâyears.
AM:âAuburnâhasâutilizedâtheâservicesâofâaânumberâofâcon-sultants,âattorneys,âandâspecialistsâinârecentâmonthsâforâpurposesâsuchâasâdevelopingâaâmasterâplanâforâcampus,ârec-ommendationsâwithâregardsâtoâaâpresidentialâsearch,âandâaâstudyâofâtheâuniversityâsâcommunicationsâefforts.âHowâdoâexpendituresâforâsuchâservicesâfitâintoâtheâuniversityâsâbud-getingâprocess?
DL:âTwoâfactorsâcomeâtoâmindâthatâmostâinfluenceâtheâuni-versityâsâuseâofâconsultantsâorâoutsideâassistance.âFirst,âbyâanyâmeasure,âAuburnâsâadministrativeâstructureâisâthin.âYouâwouldâexpectâthisâwithâtheâdollarsâperâstudentâonâwhichâtheâuniversityâisâoperated.âSecond,âweâareâincreasinglyâinâanâageâofâspecialization,âwhereâitâwouldâbeâinefficientâtoâmakeâpermanentâhiresâtoâprovideâusâwithâtheâexpertiseâneededâtoâaddressâtheâmultifacetedâissuesâthatâtheâuniversityâfacesâfromâtimeâtoâtime.âAsâaâresult,âtheâuniversityâhasâturnedâtoâspecializedâoutsideâexpertiseâunderâcertainâsituations.âEachâsituationâhasâitsâownâdecisionâpointsâwithâtheâvalueâofââpo-tentialâbenefitsâweighedâagainstâanticipatedâcosts.
AsâtoâtheâreferenceâtoâtheâMasterâPlan,âthisâwasâaâcriticalâandâforward-thinkingâdecisionâofâtheâtrustees.âWithâhun-dredsâofâmillionsâofâdollarsâinâconstructionâneedsâandâplansâoverâtheânextâ10âtoâ20âyearsâandâtheâdesireâtoâevolveâAuburnâintoâaâmoreâpedestrianizedâcampus,âthisâdecisionâwasâanâex-cellentâone,âIâbelieve.âManyâotherâinstitutionsâhaveâwiselyâdoneâsimilarly.âMyâonlyâregretâisâthatâthisâdecisionâwasânotâmadeâsooner.
Asâtoâtheâstudyâofâtheâuniversityâsâcommunicationâef-forts,âIârecommendedâtoâDr.â[formerâPresidentâWilliamâV.]âMuseâthatâweâseekâaâreviewâofâourâcurrentâcommunicationsâ
structure.âWhatâweâhaveânowâremainsâsimilarâtoâtheâstructureâofâ20âyearsâago,âwhileâ
theâworldâhasâchangedâ ratherâdramatically.âBothâDr.âMuseâ
andâIâbelievedâtheâuniversi-tyâsâfutureâstructureâandâstrategicâinitiativesâinâthisâareaâwouldâbeâin-strumentalâinâAuburnâsâcontinuedâsuccess.âAsâ
aâresult,âweâengagedâaâ
FALL 2001â â 47SPRINGâ2002â 27
nationalâcommunicationsâfirmâwithâsignificantâexperienceâinâhigherâeducationâtoâadviseâusâinâthisâarea.âSignificantâenhancementâopportunitiesâwereâidentifiedâandâareâbeingâimplemented.
Asâtoâassistanceâwithâtheâpresidentialâsearch,âtheâtrusteesâreceivedâaâgreatâdealâofâinputâfromâvariousâconstituenciesâindicatingâaâneedâtoâdelayâaânationalâpresidentialâsearch.âThereâwasâaâgeneralâfeelingâthatâaânumberâofâmattersâorâis-suesâneededâtoâbeâaddressedâbeforeâaâsearchâcouldâbeâsuc-cessfullyâinitiated.âAccordingly,âtheâtrusteesâengagedâaânationallyârenownedâconsultantâinâtheâareaâofâpresidentialâsearchesâtoâadviseâthemâhowâtoâbestâproceedâgivenâtheâinputâtheyâwereâhearing.
Asâtoâhowâtheseâdecisionsâfitâintoâtheâbudgetingâprocess,âtheâuniversityâhasâhistoricallyâallocatedâfundsâonâaâyearlyâbasisâtoâaddressâemergingâneedsâorârequirementsâandâhasâhistoricallyâturnedâtoâoutsideâassistanceâforâcertainâspecial-izedâareasâinâlieuâofâattemptingâtoâstaffâtheâuniversityâwithâsuchâexpertise.ââAdditionally,âperhapsâsomeâperspectiveâofâtheseâexpendituresâtoâtheâbudgetâmightâbeâhelpful.âTheâconsultingâarrangementsâjustâdiscussedâ[masterâplan,âpres-identialâsearch,âcommunications]âcrossedâoverâtwoâfiscalâyearsâandâcombinedâwillâexceedâslightlyâmoreâthanâaâhalfâmillionâdollars.âBudgetedâexpendituresâduringâthatâsameâtwo-yearâperiodâamountedâtoâapproximatelyâ$1.1âbillion.â
AM:âWhatâisâtheârelationshipâbetweenâtheâuniversityâbud-getâandâtheâAuburnâathleticsâbudget?ââDoâtheâtwoâoverlapâorâcomplementâeachâotherâinâanyâway?
DL:âAthletics,âconsistentâwithâourâotherâauxiliaries,âsuchâasâHousing,âDining,âBookstore,âetc.,âisâbudgetedâseparately,âbutâincludedâinâtheâoverallâuniversityâbudgetâdocuments.âEachâauxiliary,âincludingâAthletics,âisâexpectedâtoâcoverâallâitsâexpensesâbyâwayâofâtheârevenuesâitâgenerates,âandâeachâauxiliaryâdoesâaccomplishâthisârequirement.
AM:âWhatâroleâdoesâfederalâfundingâplayâinâtheâAuburnâbudget?âHowâareâsuchâfundsâdistributed,âandâwhere,âotherâthanâfundingâforâresearch,âdoâfederalâmoniesâplayâaâmajorârole?
DL:âFederalâfundingâplaysâaâsignificantâroleâinâAuburnâsâbudgetâandâinâtheâoverallâqualityâofâtheâinstitution.ââMuchâofâtheâfederalâfundingâisâforâcontract-âandâgrant-relatedâresearchâand,âasâsuch,âtheâfundsâareârestrictedâforâtheâpur-posesâprovided.âWhileâtheseâfundsâdoânotânecessarilyâhelpâinâtheâdailyâoperationsâofâtheâuniversity,âtheyâareâcriticalâtoâitsâoverallâsuccess,âreputation,âandâquality.âWeâhaveâbeenâfortunateâinârecentâyearsâinâreceivingâgreatâhelpâfromâSen.âRichardâShelbyâinâthisâareaâofâfunding.
AM:âWhatâroleâdoesâprivateâsupportâcurrentlyâplayâinâAu-burnâsâbudgetingâstrategies,âandâwhatâroleâdoâyouâseeâitâplay-ingâinâtheâfuture?
DL:âPrivateâsupport,âsimilarâtoâthatâofâfederalâsupport,âisâcriticalâtoâtheâuniversityâsâsuccess,âquality,âandâreputation.âPrivateâfundingâusuallyâprovidesâenhancementâopportuni-tiesâforâtheâuniversityâinâareasâsuchâasâscholarships,âprofes-sorships,âcapitalâneeds,âandâotherâcriticalâareas.âBecauseâofâtheârestrictedânatureâofâmostâgifts,âhowever,âtheyâdoânotânecessarilyâprovideâoperationalâreliefâforâtheâbudget.âPrivateâsupportâisâessential,âthough,âinâmovingâtheâuniversityâfor-wardâtoânationalâprominence.
AM:âWhatâisâtheâuniversityâsâcurrentânumberâoneâfundingâpriority...andâwhy?
DL:âTheâuniversityâsâcurrentânumberâoneâfundingâprior-ityâisâfacultyâandâemployeeâsalariesâinâgeneral.âTheâtrusteesâhaveârecognizedâthisâandâchallengedâtheâadministrationâtoâfindâwaysâtoâreachâregionalâaveragesâasâquicklyâasâpossible.âCurrently,âforâinstance,âAuburnâfacultyâsalariesâareâatâap-proximatelyâ90âpercentâofâtheâregionalâpeerâaverage.âWeâsimplyâmustâdoâbetterâinâthisâarea.
SPRING 2002 43
EDITORâS NOTE: The following excerpt is from a new book, First House, that focuses on the early careers of a number of acclaimed architects who studied at Harvard University in the â40s, among them the late Paul Rudolph â40. Author and New York City architect Christian Bjone explores Rudolphâs unique early work, some of which can still be seen in and around Auburn. Rudolph went on to a brilliant career that included the chairman-ship of the Architecture Department at Yale University, where the Art and Architecture building he designed is considered a monument of the period. His life came full circle in the 1990s when he was asked to design Auburn Universityâs new Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art. Sadly, he died in 1997 before beginning that work. Published in the United Kingdom this spring, First House will be available in the U.S. in July.
Paul Rudolph in 1954
44 AUBURN MAGAZINE
In 1940, Auburn, Alabama, had a population of 8,297 souls.
The reason for the townâs existence was the Alabama Poly-technic Institute (later renamed Auburn University), a school with a strong identity relating to its engineering department and collegiate sports, secondarily to its School of Architecture.
Paul Marvin Rudolphâs career began here, with an undergradu-ate degree and a unique senior project, an opportunity to build a house that he designed as his âfirst house.â Professor T. P. At-kinson of the Universityâs Foreign Languages Department commis-sioned the young Rudolph, age 22, for an improvement on his property in a leafy resi-dential neighborhood corner lot. The house was a one-story brick building incorporating some then unheard of technical innovations such as central heating, corner windows, and a copper standing seam roof.(2)
It was labeled by many of the townâs residents as a âbuilderâs houseâ due to its similarity to local buildersâ advertisements in the 1950s. It is also possible to compare this first house with a series of similar houses designed by Walter Gropius, who would later become Rudolphâs teacher at Harvard.
In 1930, while still in Germany, Gropius proposed prefabricated house designs for the Hirsch Copper and Bronze Works that, at f irst glance, look amaz-ingly similar to the Atkinson house.(3) This is not to suggest that Rudolph knew of this distant German precedentâthree examples of the Gropius houses were displayed in America in 1931(4) âbut only that this unique similarity indicates both were trying to deal with the same problemâa rationalization of the forms of Frank Lloyd Wright. The even modules of the pre-fabricated copper wall panels and the use of the one-window types in the Gropius building occurs again in
Rudolphâs copper roof seams and the equal hor izontal ly banded casement windowsâall of it put together to produce the hip roofs and banded windows characteristic of Wrightâs early Chicago work.
We know Gropius had ad-mired the Wasmuth Portfolio of Wrightâs work published in Germany in 1917 and Rudolph had seen the prairie school houses of Wright when he vis-ited the Columbia Exposition of 1933 in Chicago, also illus-trating some Wright buildings in his senior thesis paper.
That 1940 student paper by Rudolph titled Glass in Ar-
chitecture and Decoration illustrates Wrightâs Falling Water, Gropiusâ social housing, Neutraâs California houses, art deco mirrors, and eclectic crystal chandeliers. The illus-trations of this student report summarize the true visual interests of the author; the first would be admiration of the great men of modern architecture and the second would be a love of the decorative richness of geometric design.
These interests are highlighted by the one major item on the interior of Rudolphâs first built design: the ornamental mural. [Auburnâs] 1940 catalogue of classes for the first semester of fourth-year architecture studies has required class no. 447: âMural Design,â a class Rudolph most cer-tainly took and utilized in his first building. (5)
The existing carved homosote (a new building material of the time) mural covers the top half of the freestanding central rectangular masonry fireplace, measuring six feet high by 10 feet long on one side. The subject of the mural seems to be young men on a tropical beach struggling with a diagonally patterned fishing net.
The figures are in outline scribed into the homosote in a V-shaped groove. The space surrounding them is filled entirely with a patterned surface, also inscribed. These
âThe things that I thought yesterday I no longer feel.
New âtruthsâ have presented themselves, making great principles of
six months ago ridiculous.Perhaps I am young, and some day will
come to a true understanding:perhaps I will always search and
never find a base upon which to build.âPaul Rudolph, 1940, from the foreword of
his senior thesis, Glass in Architecture and Decoration (1)
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him...For this my son was dead, and is alive again,
he was lost, and is found.Luke 15:22, 24
(1) Rudolph, Paul (1940) Glass in Architecture and Decoration, senior thesis for the School of Architecture, Alabama Polytechnic Institute, unpaginated foreword.
(2) Howy, John (1995) The Sarasota School of Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, p. 29.
(3) Nerdinger, Winfred (Ed.) (1990) Walter Gropius Archives volume 2, Busch-Reisinger Museum, Harvard University, Garland Publishers Inc. and Harvard University Art Museum, New York, pp. 237-57.
(4) Herbert, Gilbert (1984), The Dream of the Factory-made House, Walter Gropius and Konrad Wachsman, MIT Press.
(5) Alabama Polytechnic Institute 1939-1940, catalogue number announcements for 1940-1941, Department of Architecture, p. 85.
FALL 2001 47SPRING 2002 45
patterns suggest the f lowing waves of the ocean beyond. The waves are abstracted to a continuous series of concen-tric circles, swirls, and spirals with radiating lines. These patterns are the stylistic signature of Rudolphâs later work. This graphic motif can be seen in the abstract representa-tion of water in many of his site plans and as diagrams of spatial f low. The preference for repeated linear-scribed patterns can be seen in the textures of the exterior cladding
of his buildings: from bush-hammered concrete to split- face block.
A lthough Rudolph had gone on to do other wall art, such as the polished metal mural (the same pattern as the f ishing net previously described) in his Singapore office lobby and other art such as the 1967 âNude Bill Boardâ photomural in his New York City apartment bedroom, the Atkinson mural shows an amazing visual agility for a be-ginning designer.
Not more than 200 yards north of the Atkinson house is the second Rudolph building in Auburn: the Applebee residence. This building was designed in 1954, built in 1955, and published in 1956. Professor Frank W. Applebee was head of the schoolâs Applied Art Department for many years, including the time Rudolph was an undergradu-ate. His invitation to Rudolph to design his home marked
Rudolphâs return to his alma mater as a recognized profes-sional. (6)
This new building is a good indication of his ability to synthesize the effects he admired most in the great men of modern architecture. Rudolph wrote in 1977: âThe International Stylists, especially Le Corbusier, had exten-sively explored the inside, outside, topside, and bottomside
relationships of a building presented simultaneously and Frank Lloyd Wright had investigated the potentials of ar-chitectural space and light more than any other architect of the twentieth century. It has often been my goal to wed the programmatic and spatial concepts of the International Style to Wrightâs more suitable handling of interior volumes of space.â (7)
The design is an International Style symmetrical rect-angular prism with the public functions in the center and the private bedrooms at the ends. The ends are articulated
(6) Anon (1956), Cantilevers Create Multi-level Interest: House for F. Applebee, Auburn, Alabama, Architectural Record, mid -May, pp. 200-01.
(7) Rudolph, Paul (1977) Architecture and Urbanism, â100 by Paul Rudolph/ 1946-74,â p. 4.
Rudolphâs âflying boxcarâ
house in Auburn
46 AUBURN MAGAZINE
Carolina Pigeon or Turtle Dove, No. 4, Plate 17
Black-billed Cuckoo, 1828
Baltimore Oriole, No. 14-4, Plate 217, 1860
as completely cantilevered from the main building. The plan concept can be seen as a simplified version of an earlier unbuilt proposal for a Rudolph Florida house, the Cohen residence of 1952, and that house can itself be seen as being inspired by Marcel Breuerâs own home in New Canaan, Conn., and similar form of the Canaan desk by Breuer.
The bedrooms extend out more than 14 feet from the main building. This cantilever was designed to be braced by a one-inch diameter steel rod placed diagonal-ly through the side stud walls and tied back to the wood roof beams. During construction, the contractor was so alarmed at the minimal structure specified that he dou-bled the number of steel rods in the walls and connected them to new steel columns, which extended into the foundations. When the building was almost complete, the whole neighborhood turned out to see the support frames knocked out from under the jutting forms. A resi-dent recalls that âit didnât fly, but then it didnât collapse
either.â That was the beginning of its local nickname, âthe flying boxcar.â The significance of the Applebee house is that it comes at the end of Rudolphâs International Style-inspired investigations. It is the last of his âHarvard shoe-boxes and goldfish bowls,â but it exhibits some of the best qualities of those homes: a clarity of enclosing space and framing structure within the tight constraints of a limited budget and simple materials. Within those constraints, the individual stylistic voice of Paul Rudolph is obvious.
The very year the Applebee house design was finished, Rudolph lectured at the American Institute of Architects convention in Boston: âWe are leaving behind the house of the â40s as a confused one which tried to express what went on behind each bay. Thus, the living room could be filled with glass which went to the f loor, but the bedroom bay had to have glass stops at 2'-6'' height to provide privacy. The kitchen bay had its windows a few inches higher still, making a series of steps. Today, we are more interested in the total expression.â(8) This was a perfect description of the Applebee residence, which was no longer the correct image of the future. In the following year, 1957, Rudolph was appointed chairman of the School of Architecture at Yale University.
After this, the creative f loodgates were opened for a cascade of elaborate f luid forms that marked his career with incredible rise and promise, which then reversed in the prosperous 1980s and he became, in the architectural world, dramatically forgottenâunbuilt and unpublished. Near the end of Rudolphâs life, Auburn University con-tacted him with a fitting opportunity for its most famous artistic alumnus. Welcoming back its prodigal son, the uni-versity offered him the commission for the new Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art. Unfortunately, within a year of this offer, Rudolph passed away, without the chance to put pen to paper. (9)
Looking back at the career of Paul Rudolph, it is possible to see that the passing tide of fashion raised his fame and fortune, but later left him beached high and dry. This leads us to wander back to the first beach, in the mural inside the First Houseâa beach that was expansive, sunny, calm, and with all the promises of the future.
(8) Rudolph, Paul (1954) Changing Philosophy of Architecture, A.I.A. Boston Convention Speech, Architectural Record, August, p. 116.
(9) Correspondence, May 17, 1996, Paul Rudolph to Thomas Tillman, Auburn University.