Drake's journalism school regulars have probably walked past this sculpture in Meredith Hall many times -- but have you ever stopped to explore its significance?
An accompanying plaque reads: "This sculpture is a tribute to the newspaper and its contributions to society. It is the work of Richard W. Downs of the Drake University art faculty and was commissioned for the Iowa Press Association in 1969 by Massey-Ferguson Inc. The basic structure depicts a fore-runner of the newspaper, the stone tablet. The disc, with partial nameplates of Iowa newspapers etched in relief, portrays contemporary newspaper journalism. The nameplates radiate outward, symbolizing the spread of information and ideas by this significant news medium. A miniature of the sculpture is presented annually to the Iowa Newspaper of the Year."
Photo by Ben Curtis, student photographer with the Drake Photo Bureau, Office of Marketing & Communications, Drake University.
