HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-01-13, Page 1PUBLISHED IN
LUCKNOW, ONTARIO
Wednesday,
January 1..3,.."993
50°G,S..T. Included
471
plus 3f G.S.T.
b
•
University art gallery named for Lucknow man
The art gallery at Wilfrid
Laurier Universitywill be named
for retired Professor Robert
Langen, of Lucknow, who fos-
tered the fine arts at the univer-
sity and helped to unearth the
once "buried treasure" of its
collection.
A reception to celebrate the'
naming of the Robert Langen..
Gallery; will be held January 21,'
at 7:30 p,m. On exhibit will be
Kurelek prints from the private
collection of a faculty member
and indigenous art acquired by
the university when Professor
Langen chaired the art commit-
tee.
A • professor of philosophy
since 1955 and department Chair
at the time of his retirement in
1985, . Professor Langen . • is
credited with establishing the
fine arts program, buildingthe
university's collection,. and quiet-
ly
persisting for a .permanent
gallery. He was also responsible
for establishing . the library's
collection of art slides and bring-
ing the first guest visual artists
to campus.'
"Those who cherish and, even
more, promote the . beauty of
ideas and the idea of beauty are
rare," says Michal Manson, a
fine arts .professor and chair of
the art and acquisition cominittee
that recommended the gallery be
named -for Professor Langen.
. "As a passionate advocate for
the visual arts, Professor Langen •
has created a` lasting legacy for
• ,Laurier."
Insisting on greater visibility
. for the university's art, which.,'
was then' displayed' only in
offices and halls, Professor
Langen used space in the Con-
. course of the Student Union
Building. While it provided
. • greater exposure, the Concourse
was less than .ideal for art and
Professor Langen continued to
press for a permanent gallery,.
Realized four years ago with.
the, opening of the John Aird
Centre, the ' 900 -square -foot
gallery hosts 'eight shows during
the academic year and features
• opening • receptions with the
artists. • A climate controlled
storage area and a computerized
.. inventory system for the perma-
nent collection were added ih
1991. •
"I hope the gallery exhibits
will catch the attention of stu-
. dents and ,further intrigue them
with the • fine arts," Professor
Langen says. "The fine arts are '
so much a reflection -of culture.
The liberal' arts would be trun-
cated without them."
As the fust chair' of the
. university's art .committee from
`1968 to 1977, Professor Langen
• worked to encourage .younger.
artists and build a well-rounded
Professor Robert Langen
collection representative of
Ontario and Canada asa whole..
The university's collection now
comprises 400 pieces of mostly
Canadian artists in a variety of
media: About 95 per cent of the
collection is in circulation on
campus. .
The largest assortment is that
of the: indigenous people includ-
ing representative pieces of
artists who have received Cana- •
dian and international acclaim:
Chee Chee, Morrisseau, Odjig,
Robinson, Shilling, Qumaluk;
Parr and Pitseolak.
Other large assortments are the
prints and watercolors, of Toni
Onley, ,now. recognized -as a
West Coast artist; those of
Woldemar Neufeld, an alumnus
of Waterloo College; the paint,-,,,.
ings of Paul Fournier of O'ntario;.
and those , of Quebec artist
Bellefleur.)
Believing that students should
wrestle to create what they
study, Professor Langen intro-
duced a studio complement to a
philosophy of art • course he
taught. Later, he organized art
history lectures by professors,
developed a credit course in art
history, and established an inter-
departmental major in fine arts.
Today's fine arts program has 21
• majors and. 200 students enrolled
in its history, theory and studio
courses.
A native of Torquay,
Saskatchewan, ProfessorLangen
received a bachelor of arts
degree in 1948 and a bachelor of
divinity degree in 1952, both
from Waterloo College. Later, he
earned a master of arts degree in
philosophy from the University
of Toronto.
In 1984, the university recog-
nized his varied contributions by
awarding him the rank. of pro-
fessor emeritus.
Professor and Mrs. Langen
spent 22 summers at their R.R. 5
Lucknow residence. Two years\
ago, they took up permanent
residency: --
Library has served community for
by Pat Livingston
If Andrew Carnegie were, alive
today, he would no doubt puff up
with pride upon viewing the.presti-
gious building, in Lucknow; that
continues to bare witness to his
generous. $7500 donation in 1910.
• The building is Carnegie Hall, or
today, more commonly referred to'
as the Town Hall, which houses the.
Lucknow Library.
Historical records,show that intim
early 1900s, Mr. Carnegie, a
wealthy philanthropist, was donat-
ing money for libraries: Although
negotiations began in 1906; it was
not until June 6, 1910 that the
$10,000 building was officially
opened by Reeve John Jbynt: In his
dedicatory remarks, Reeve Joynt
said, "...I hereby officially and
finally declare open and dedicated
for civil, moral and educational pur-
poses, the Town hall and Public
Library, hoping, tftgt.wisdom, har-,,
mony and justire;'shall prevail in all
deliberations held within its.. walls,
"""that the influence of'thd:good books
which it contains shall go forth
more and more to the betterment of
all who embrace the privileges here
offered them; and that this building
itself shall stand through long years
to' come, a monument to him whose
liberality rendered it possible and to
those whose public spirit carried it
to its completion."
In earlier days, it is recorded that
"Lucknow's fust library was a
branch of the Mechanic's Institute,
which was an organization primar-
ily for study " purposes." It was
located where a W.J. Spindler's
home stood, and above it was the
Oddfellows Hall. When a board was
formed, the library was moved to
the Old Town Hall, where the
Luckitow Service Centre stands
today. It was sustained by readers'
fees and municipal grants.
Following relocation to the
Carnegie Hall, support .came by are several "speciality" type items
way of grants from the provincial available. Among these are a siz-
government, the village, Bruce and able collection of large print. books;
Huron Counties, membership fees talking books used by" a present
and fines from -overdue books. core of seven patrons; and local
Because Lucknow is strategically archives, which must be used in the
situated on the border of Bruce and library.
A • wide selection of reference
material continues to' be enlarged
upon..,
Although 16 mm films are avail-
able, Claudia said they are getting
less and less, due to the fact most.
libraries are nomlonger, purchasing
Huron Counties, the local library
had the privilege of being a mem-
ber of both County Associations;
thus a greater number of books
were available to the public.
In January of 1967 the local.
library joined the Bruce County
"1..declare open and dedicated fi cert, rrr rail
and educational 1,406$0S, t e Town Hall and
Public Ltbr`t wisdom, harmony and
Justice shall aft deliberations held
within fts walls, that theinfluence of the Rood
bores which it cont ins $ 00Tort more and
mom to rhe better era of all what embrace the
privileges here a,�r�ed' therm; and that this band
ins itse shat! stand through tong years to carne,
a monument to him. whose liberainy rendered it
possible and;ta those those public spirit carried
on."
it on to its camplet
.Reeve John loyal'
Library and since then has fallen
under its jurisdiction. '
Services
Claudia•Baskerville, library super-
visor, says that between 9,000- and
10,000 books are housed in the
local library. Currently 1,000
patrons take advantage cif the many
services offered. Claudia is -assisted
by Lynn Peck, oho works one day
per week..
In addition to the regular fiction,
non-fiction and reference books one
expects to lind in a library, there
them - videos are taking over: In
keeping with the swing in that
direction, videos are available on
such subjects as How To,.
• Children's Classics etc. However,
'Claudia said, "We are not in com-
petition with the local video stores."
Dear to her heart is a special
section • - The Classics - which
Claudia is "slowly developing" as
she comes upon the treasures,
which include as an/ example Dick-
ens, Twain and Steinbeck.
A favourite program for the
82 years
. younger patrons and their parents is
the Story Hour, which runs in the
fall, winter and spring. Each session•.
is open to 20 three -to -five year
olds, and there is always a waiting
list. The Summer Reading Program
is "extremely popular" said Claudia,
and annually involves anywhere
from 60 to 80 youngsters. Claudia
fumly believes in the value,of these
two programs; saying, "They are
very worthwhile. Quite often it is
the child's fust experience with
books. and the library, and. it will
often start' them as library users.
.Another service provided by the
local library is that of delivering
around 25 books every 10 weeks to
Pinecrest . Manor and. Maple
Breezes.
Bruce County Museum - provides
very interesting displays on a six-
month rotation. Currently featured
is "Dolls Shop" from the Victorian
era:
PAC
In June of 1990, a computerized
Public Access Catalogue.
(PAC)
system came oh -stream at' th
library: The branch library's share
in the amount of $1,500 was raised
locally, through donations from
individuals and, various organiz-
ations. The other half of the $3,000
came from the Ontario Library
Consortium. •
The PAC allows library users
direct access to. the entire holdings
of the collection of books through-
out Bruce County, in addition to 20
other library systems in soutli�erri
Ontario, which make up the Ontario
Library Consortium.
Touted as• "user-friendly", the
PAC has been invaluable to the
library workers and users. Claudia
said, "Prior to the PAC we were
working without a card file, which
would have required a lull time
West Wawanosh
baby is first
born in 1093
The Township of West
Wawanosh takes the honors this
year for having the fast baby
born in the Wingham and bis -
via Hospital.
William Met arrived Jaanuary
2 at 1101 hours, tipping the
scales at 8 lbs. 4 oz. He is a son
of John and Emma Miller of RR
2, Auburn.
William is welcomed by sib-
lings Martha, Lydia, Annie,
Edna, Melvin, Alvin and Jacob.
Before going home, he was the
recipient of special gifts from
the Hospital Auxiliary, his
reward fel-being the 1993 New
Year Baby for the hospital.
Pick up of blue
boxes remains
b-weey
The Bruce Solid Waste
Recycling Assaciation'sboardof
management has decided to
continue. with the every other
week pickup of . blue boxes in_
Lucknow.
The board believes that bi-
weekly collection will not ce
thelevet f' se re p(o ' „ ..
average sizeddf sh , Cake
twq *MOW* mote iii `PILL its
blue box,.
Late in December each house-
hold should have received,
through the mail, a calendar
showing the collection schedule
for 1993 - Locally, our first
pickup was today (January 13)
and progresses every other week.
1f you did not receive, or have
misplaced, the calendar, copies
of it are available at the Town
Hall. Collection' dates are Jan-
uary 13, 27, February 10, 24,.
March 10, 24, April 7, 21, May
5, 19, June 2, 16, 30, July 14,
28; August 11,25, September 8,
22, October 6, 20, November 3,
17, December 1, 15 and 29.
Either pick up your copy of the
calendar at the Town Hall or
circie.:the dates listed above on
your calendar denoting them as --
Blue Box Day.
Please remember to have your
box at tip curb no later than 7
a.m. and to remove lids from all
containers and place separately
in the blue box.
1 V+A appoints°
new GM
Ross Duncan, .of Wingham, is
.the new general manager for the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority.
MVCA director of operations
Dave Grummett said the decision
was made in, mid-December
following the advertisement and
interview .process.
Mr. Duncan's position was
effecdve January 4.
On October 21, the MVCA
board made the decision to
search for a. new general man-
ager. The board had operated for
several months utilizing a team
management committee and had
recommended hiIg a general
manager as it felt a fttf time
man et; .a would
1e+u»rlisdpprmt>etreauh e,ffect.
ti`v�e ,