President's Report 2020

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND TRAVELING JESUS Campus bathrooms have seen it all

By Jen Fredericks Dorsey ’97

Ask any Saint Mary-of-the- Woods College alum what they cherish most about our campus, and you’ll no doubt hear about the visceral memories deeply rooted in a sense of place. Our recollections of time spent at the College are woven together by the common thread of the beauty of this campus and her physical spaces: cozy rooms in Le Fer, the soaring areas of the Conservatory and O’Shaughnessy, or the earthy grace of the Grotto. Some of the best memories, though, happen in places where you least expect them — like in the bathroom. At first glance, you would not think there is anything exceptional about the restrooms on campus. None are particularly awe-inspiring in their beauty. They are functional rooms meant to get the job done and not much else. But whether you spent your mornings getting ready for class in a Le Fer shared bath or had to wait your turn in the common- area shower rooms, you probably have some fond (or at least interesting)

memories of your time spent in the SMWC bathrooms. Julianne VandeWater ’95 remembers using the massive tubs in Guerin to her advantage. “One summer, I stayed in a two-room with a private bathroom,” she said. “It was big! My roommate and I washed dishes in the tub.” The Conservatory restroom behind the stage was also a memory-making spot, especially for many a Chorale, Madrigal, or theater student who used it to get ready for performances. On one occasion, it also provided shelter to students trying to get some distance from an unwelcome visitor. “I remember a bat suddenly flying toward me in the hallway during a late night at the Conserve,” said Jessi McGuire Of all the buildings on campus, Le Fer Hall is the most unlimited source of bathroom lore and even adventure. Beth Bell Kyle ’00 remembers coming home to find her bathroom ceiling in a most unusual place — on the floor. “My sophomore year, Marcia Eppich-Harris ’98 and I were suitemates, and the ceiling in our bathroom had a leak and caved in during the first week of class,” she said. “Luckily, neither of Blessinger ’00 . “The ‘haunted’ bathroom was my refuge until it went away.”

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