Gourt Home::Gourt :: Oglethorpe University
Oglethorpe University is a private liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was chartered in 1835 and named after James Oglethorpe, the state's founder.
History
The original campus of Oglethorpe College was located at Midway, just south of the city of Milledgeville, then the state capital. The school was built and, at that time, governed by the Presbyterian Church. The American Civil War led to the school's closing from 1862 to 1866.
The college followed the relocation of the capital to Atlanta and, in 1870, began holding classes at the present site of Atlanta City Hall. Plagued by financial difficulties, however, the school closed its doors two years later.
Oglethorpe College was re-chartered in 1913, and in 1915 the cornerstone to the new campus was laid at its present location on Peachtree Road in Atlanta.
Oglethorpe College became Oglethorpe University in 1965.
Points of interest
The Conant Performing Arts Center, completed in 1997, serves as the permanent home of Georgia Shakespeare.
The Oglethorpe Museum of Art on the top floor of historic Lowry Hall also has achieved notoriety for a series of shows on far eastern art.
In 1994, Lupton Hall, Phoebe Hearst Hall, Lowry Hall and Hermance Stadium were added to the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, the 100 acre campus was designated a National Historic District.
Oglethorpe University is home to the Crypt of Civilization, the first and most complete time capsule ever created. Scheduled to be opened in 8113, it is located in the basement of Phoebe Hearst Hall.
Events and traditions
Oglethorpe Day
- February 12. Campus events celebrate the anniversary of James Oglethorpe's founding of the colony of Georgia. The annual "Petrels of Fire" race, an homage to Trinity College's Great Court Run portrayed in the movie Chariots of Fire, features students attempting to run the 270 yard perimeter of the Academic Quad before the Lupton Hall belltower finishes its noon chimes.
Boar's Head
- First Friday of December. Modeled after the Boar's Head Gaudy of Queen's College, Oxford, Boar's Head is the traditional start to the Christmas season at Oglethorpe. Festivities include a concert featuring the University Singers, other student organizations and performers from the community, as well as the lighting of the University's Christmas tree. Newly initiated members of Omicron Delta Kappa receive recognition and, as a rite of initiation, kiss the ceremonial boar's head.
Athletics
The university's mascot is the Stormy Petrel, a seabird said to have been admired by James Oglethorpe for its hardiness and courage. It is the only bird known to fly into a hurricane; the oil on its wings providing a coating against the harsh winds and rain.
In March of 2002, ESPN's David Lloyd named the Stormy Petrel as one of the most memorable college mascot names of all time, second only to the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz.
The university offers NCAA Division III competition in 14 sports, and competes as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The school's most successful athletic program is its men's golf team, which is perenially among the nation's best. It finished fourth in Division III in 2006.
Publications
- The Stormy Petrel, student newspaper
- Yamacraw, yearbook. Its name comes from Yamacraw Bluff, the landing site of James Oglethorpe's 1733 colonial expedition.
- The Tower, literary magazine
Notable students and alumni
- Luke Appling, member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame; student from 1929-1930
- David-Matthew Barnes - award-winning author and playwright; writer and director of the film Frozen Stars; class of 2006
- Sidney Lanier, poet; class of 1860
- Vanessa Sanchez, professional wrestler and valet; former WCW Nitro Girl
External links
References
History
Liberal arts colleges | Universities and colleges in Georgia (U.S. state) | Registered Historic Places in Georgia
"Oglethorpe University"