Fountain To Be Dedicated Friday
Fountain To Be Dedicated Friday
New Baird Gift Honors Late Thomas Cooley
University students and alumni, assembled in Ann Arbor this week for commencement activities, will gather on the mall in front of the Burton Memorial Tower at 3 o'clock Friday to witness the dedication of the Cooley Fountain, which will be formally presented at that time to the University by Charles Baird in honor of the late Judge Thomas McIntyre Cooley.
Mr. Baird will present the fountain, designed by the world famous sculptor Carl Milles, of Cranbrook, to President Alexander Ruthven, who will accept it on behalf of the University. Prof. Lewis G. Vander Velde, director of the Michigan Historical Collections and an ardent student on the life of Cooley, will trace his achievements throughout the years he was associated with the University and the Michigan Supreme Court.
Was Law School Dean
Judge Cooley was a member of the first University law school faculty and was dean of the school from 1871 to 1883. Later he was appointed by President Cleveland to the first interstate commerce commission. Through the passage of years his textbook on "Constitutional Limitations" has become somewhat of a Bible to law college students. His home occupied the site of the present Michigan Union building and was even at that date one of the few centers of University social life.
The fountain, the gift of Mr. Baird, graduate of the literary college and law school in the class of 1895, is the second gift of Mr. Baird, who also contributed the Baird Carillon.
Is Light, Humorous
"Sunday Morning in Deep Waters," is the inscription on the fountain centerpiece, which Mr. Milles endeavored to design as a light and humorous fountain. The design is that of a Triton swimming out to sea with the young Tritons clinging childlike to their father's back. The apprehensive expressions on the children's faces imply that this is an unusual outing for the little fellows, who ordinarily must play in shallow water.
Like all Tritons in Greek mythology, the father is blowing a conch-shell trumpet to soothe the restless waves as he lashes his way through the water. A school of fish accompany the family on their excursion, and the whole group is enveloped in a sweeping riving spray.
The major and minor figures of the group are done in bronze coated with a green patina, and the central figure is set on a block of Minnesota granite. The pool around the fountain is 20 by feet and is 18 inches deep. Pumps in the chamber under the fountain recirculate the water.