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Centennial Garden to memorialize ‘the Quads”

The memory of “the Quads”, residence halls that once occupied space between South and North Complexes, will be assured with Northwest Missouri’s State University’s Centennial Garden. The garden will honor not only a part of the University’s history, but its present and future as well.

It started with an idea offered by 2002 graduate Bradley “B.J.” Snopek when he was a Northwest student majoring in landscape horticulture. The concept was part of an independent studies project with Syd Weybrew, the University’s ornamental landscape specialist. Snopek is now completing a master’s in landscape architecture at Kansas State University-Manhattan and took part in the groundbreaking ceremony held March 25, 2005.

When the first planning was underway for the Northwest Centennial, Snopek’s idea for a garden was embraced by the University. The garden’s work officially began with a groundbreaking but work actually began earlier in the month. It will be dedicated during centennial opening celebrations, at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.

Lezlee Johnson, associate director of environmental services, said the area will ultimately contain fountains, paved walkways, flowering plants and decorative stone. A gas fire pit will be another feature. This year’s Student Senate has won a Centennial Grant to help pay for three benches in the garden, which will contain components of a quote by Henry Ford.

”The Quads” included Hawkins (C.A. Hawkins, Latin scholar and professor); Cauffield (A.J. Cauffield, geography instructor); Hake (J.W. Hake, professor physics); and McCracken (Jack McCracken, basketball All-American). Later, Cooper Hall was added to the complex. It was named after A.H. “Bert” Cooper, director of field services.