Names committee to recommend alteration to Wildermuth Center

POSTED AT 04:46 PM ON Nov. 10, 2008 | PRINT | Email | SHARE | COMMENTS (4)

University officials will recommend they rename the Ora L. Wildermuth Intramural Center to the William L. Garrett/Ora L. Wildermuth Fieldhouse, an official announced Monday.

Bill Garrett was the first black basketball player at IU. Garrett died in 1974 after suffering a heart attack.

Terry Clapacs, head of the All University Committee on Names and IU’s vice president and chief administrative officer, said the committee will make the recommendation to the board of trustees. IU President Michael McRobbie will bring the issue before the trustees during a facilities committee meeting on Nov. 19, Clapacs said.

The names committee reviewed the center because several letters in which Wildermuth expressed segregationist and racist views were recently publicized.

Clapacs said the committee did not want to remove Wildermuth’s name because they thought it was unfair to take what Wildermuth said decades ago and bring it into today’s light.

Clapacs added Herman B Wells served on the committee that recommended the naming of the Wildermuth Center, and the committee did not want to second guess such an influential IU figure.

“We still trust the judgment of Herman B Wells,” Clapacs said.

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4. Posted by waste at 12:0 AM on Nov 11, 2008 | Report this comment

This is a total waste of money. And his name is still on the sign, so who gives a crap? Waste of resources and a useless change. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

3. Posted by Nathan at 10:6 PM on Nov 10, 2008 | Report this comment

Wasted money aside, this was a very reasonable and seemingly well-thought decision. I am pleasantly surprised as I thought the University would do the PC thing and remove the name completely. It is unfair to analyze a persons beleifs in today's context. This solution seems to strike a nice balance between the man's contribution to the IU and the hindsight we now have of his feelings.

2. Posted by really stupid at 9:1 PM on Nov 10, 2008 | Report this comment

this is a waste of time and money. if they're going to change it at least take his name off completely. this doesn't even make sense

1. Posted by stupid at 4:57 PM on Nov 10, 2008 | Report this comment

God knows we need to be politically correct. This is weak.


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