Ohio University President Roderick McDavis and other presenters helped metaphorically break ground at Cutler Hall's 200th anniversary celebration.
After the OU Board of Trustees concluded their meetings, about 70 people attended the anniversary celebration on College Green on Friday.
The cornerstone for Cutler Hall was first placed on campus in the summer of 1816, and the building was named after Manasseh Cutler, one of OU's founders.
Board of Trustees Chair David Wolfort kicked off the event by explaining how Cutler Hall has served as a residence hall, classroom building, laboratory, library and a museum throughout the years.
“Cutler Hall is the oldest building erected for higher education west of the Alleghenies and north of the Ohio River on one of the oldest college campuses in the nation,” Wolfort said.
OU President Roderick McDavis reflected on the amount of time he has spent in the building.
“Sometimes when I’m in Cutler Hall late in the evening, everything is quiet and my mind wanders a little bit,” McDavis said. “I ask myself what major decisions have been made in this building, decisions that have changed the course of Ohio University’s future.”
Rupert Cutler, a descendant of Manasseh Cutler, spoke at the celebration.
Rupert Cutler and his wife traveled from Roanoke, Virginia.
“This is their first visit to Athens, but it won’t be their last,” McDavis said.
Rupert Cutler discussed Manasseh Cutler and the legacy he left behind.
“I doubt that Manasseh Cutler has an equal in American History,” Rupert Cutler said. “(Cutler Hall) is named after a great man.”
The Cutler Scholars Program, a merit scholarship program, is also named after Manasseh Cutler. The first awards were given for the 1996-97 academic year.
Emma Perrin, a senior studying journalism and a Cutler Scholar, spoke about the effect the program has had on her.
“Manasseh Cutler’s mission and passion for education live on in a very real way in the Cutler Scholars Program, and it is an honor to each and every Cutler Scholar to carry his name and legacy into the world,” Perrin said.
Through the program, she has taught English in Colombia, studied Spanish and international relations in Barcelona and interned last summer in the marketing department of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Ohio Governor John Kasich sent his best wishes and a proclamation to commemorate the occasion.
State Senator Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, presented a resolution on behalf of Ohio Senate, which recognized Cutler Hall on its bicentennial.
“I think it’s more than just celebrating a building like this, it’s about the history of this university, of this institution and what it has meant to Southeast Ohio and what it has meant to all of Ohio,” Gentile said.
State Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Albany, also presented a resolution from the House.
“This is a really exciting day to take some time to reflect on those who came before and had a vision,” Phillips, an OU alumna, said.
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson gave a proclamation that dedicates Oct. 21, 2016 as Cutler Hall Bicentennial.
As McDavis wrapped up the celebration, he looked ahead toward the future.
“What does the future of Cutler Hall hold in the next 100 years? This is the question we ask ourselves as we began to collect items to include in a time capsule,” McDavis said.
He reached out to the deans of colleges and regional campuses, and invited them to share a single item to include in the time capsule. McDavis included a letter to the future president, and the board included a letter to future board.
