Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The College Mace

Mace Display
Snowden Library is currently featuring a display on the history of the college mace
on the main floor of the library.

THE LYCOMING COLLEGE MACE

mace

The hand-carved Lycoming College Mace was presented to the college as a gift of the Lycoming College Class of 1963. The mace was created from walnut and cherry woods by a local craftsman, Joseph Winton. It bears the inscriptions 1812-1963, Williamsport Academy, Dickinson Seminary, Dickinson Junior College and Lycoming College in ascending positions from the bottom to the top of the intricately carved 42 inch commemorative piece. According to 1963 class vice-president Julie Bell Martin, President D. Frederick Wertz had requested a mace for the school. The mace is carried in all official academic functions of the College at the head of the procession as the symbol of academic authority.

Originally the faculty member with the longest period of service on the faculty was designated to be the mace bearer. That person retained this prestigious honor until he/she retired. As years progressed and the mace bearer aged, it became difficult in some cases for that person to fulfill the duty.

The Academic Bulletin #9 of August 27, 1999 reports a proposal to the faculty offered by Professor Owen Herring that the mace be borne by the Chair of the Faculty. The reasoning stated was that the faculty elects the chair as their leader, thus giving added significance to the role of mace bearer and to the faculty chair. Another advantage would be that the job would involve more members of the faculty. The proposal was accepted, and became effective in the fall of 2000.

Mace History_List


From our photo collection:

Dr. Skeath (2050LYCO)

Dr. Milton Skeath (1963-1967)

Phil Gillette (2436LYCO_edit)

Phillip G. Gillette (1968-1971)

John P. Graham (4477LYCO)

John P. Graham (1972-1982)



John G. Hollenback 1988 (3091LYCO)

John (Jack) G. Hollenback (1979-1988)


Dr. Ed Guerra (3104LYCO)

Dr. Eduardo Guerra (1989-1999)

Melvin Zimmerman (4305LYCO)

Dr. Melvin C. Zimmerman (2001-2002)


Sue Beidler 2003 (3464LYCO)

Sue K. Beidler (2003)


Dr. Madresehee 2008 (4705LYCO)

Dr. Mehrdad Madresehee (2008)