Dedication of Southern Arkansas’ Historic Campus Plaza was held Thursday, Nov. 15 at 12:30 p.m. in front of Harton Theatre. A reception with refreshments and food was held afterwards in the lobby of Harton Theatre.
The Historic Campus Plaza tells story of Arkansas’ 1909 Experiment with Agricultural Schools. SAU’s ancestor, the Third District Agricultural School, was one of four residential district agricultural schools established by Act 100 more than a century ago. The other schools were located at Jonesboro Monticello, and Russellville. These schools were to bring knowledge of scientific, modern agricultural practices to the countryside, improving living standards and providing greater educational opportunities for rural students who had no high schools in their communities. Arkansas’ agricultural schools were among the leading institutions of this progressive era educational reform.
The interactive Historic Campus Plaza features laser engraved photographs in black granite of the six original campus buildings on the Magnolia campus. It also provides directions for viewers with smart phones to learn more about TDAS and the other three agricultural schools. A stone inscription invites viewers to use their phones to scan a QR (Quick Response) code, dial a telephone number, or type in a web address to obtain more information.
Anyone from off-campus can learn about the four district agricultural schools by dialing 870-235-5360 or accessing web.saumag.edu/1909.
This project was funded in part by a grant from The Arkansas Humanities Council and The Department of Arkansas Heritage.
