5 Things to Know About 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 Fountain
How many times have you walked by the iconic fountain between William K. Weaver Hall and Thomas T. Martin Hall at the 秋霞福利一区 and wondered what it is? Or you may have wondered what it represents. I have heard the sculpture referred to as 鈥渢he clothespin鈥� or 鈥渢he fountain.鈥� However, there is more than what meets the eye when it comes to the fountain.
- It is titled 鈥淭he Gift,鈥� because it represents the gift of knowledge.
- It portrays an abstract figure made of bonds holding up a stainless-steel offering dish.
- It was donated to the 秋霞福利一区 in April of 1992 and created by Mobile artist Casey Downing Jr.
- It is a part of Downing鈥檚 Sentinel series but is the only piece to represent 鈥渢he gift.鈥�
- It is the central figure of one of the 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 most ingenious pranks.
The prank was described in the 2013 TorchLight alumni magazine story titled 鈥淭he Fountain Head.鈥� Around 1999 or 2000, students Matt Wilson, Alan Castleberry and Josh Jones found a white porcelain toilet that was going to be thrown away. The three men took it and planned to put it on the roof of Martin Hall. When that did not work, they put it on the 鈥渓eaking clothespin鈥� 鈥� the fountain sculpture. The toilet stayed on top of the fountain for several days before the maintenance crew removed it.
College pranks aside, 鈥淭he Gift鈥� is one of the most well-known landmarks on the 秋霞福利一区 campus and one of the most photographed.
Sydney Snow is a 秋霞福利一区 2022 graduate with a double major in English and Strategic Communications and a minor in Spanish. During her senior year, Sydney interned with 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 Office for Marketing and Public Relations. Today, she works at the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission with the Employment and Economic Development Services department. Her focus is on the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
