The Dedication of Shalers, The Citadel

Name/Title

The Dedication of Shalers, "The Citadel"

Scope and Content

Speech given by Jim Laird at the dedication of "The Citadel" on October 7, 2000. Comments by Jim Laird Made at the Dedication of " The Citadel" October 7, 2000 1:00 P. M. On October 20th, 1940, a large group of people met in Wilcox Park to dedicate Shaler's statue "The Pioneers." Three communities in addition to Waupun, had wanted the statue. One is listed only as a small Northern Wisconsin Community that wanted a statue of their own. Appleton wanted the statue for the campus of their new high school. Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Pasadena wanted to add the statue to another Shaler statue they already had in place. Waupun was Shaler's home and won the prize. This date of dedication was almost 60 years ago to the day. I wouldn't attempt to relate all that was said on that day of dedication, but I feel that Silas Evans' comments were very appropriate. He started his speech by saying (quote) "This statue will stand for generations as a tribute alike to the high character of its fine art, and the fine art of high character of the artist, Mr. Shaler. A man of beautiful personality has donated to his home town a beautiful statue, and we gather today to express our gratitude and appreciation, and our high esteem for the artist and his art. We cannot separate the art and the artist, and this is particularly true of Mr. Shaler and "The Pioneers," for Mr. Shaler's character is expressed in this statue." (Unquote) What do we know of Mr. Shaler's character. Those of us that have researched his life have grown fond of him as a example for us to follow. Mr. Shaler and his twin Sister Clara were born on Mackford Prairie, just west of here, on May 29, 1860. For those of you that need a historical reminder, this was five years before Lincoln was assassinated. At about nine years of age Shaler fell and broke his leg, this caused him to be lame for the rest of his life. Indians still lived in the area while Shaler was a youth. When Clarence and Clara were 14 years old, they moved to Ripon. Clarence's father had been a teacher and his parents wanted them to attend the Prep School at Ripon College. Clarence remembered his association with Ripon. He gave them a statue of Lincoln as a Youth, the statue Genesis, as well as contributing money. Ripon college has a Dorm named after him. I recently helped researchers at the College write an article about Shaler for their college magazine. I was told that they had recalculated his donations, and that Shaler had given more than a million dollars in todays money. Clara tragic death happened when she and Clarence were 18 years old. His statue "The Morning of Life" is Clarence's tribute to his beloved sister, and is placed on her grave at Mackford Prairie. Many feel this is his best work of art, but as June Kelly expressed, "It was as if part of him died with her." Clarence married Blanche Bancroft in 1895. They had one daughter, Marion Shaler Hanisch. It is her book about her father's sculpture that is quoted on the front of the dedication program, and her son Stuart that is here today to assist in this dedication. I am not going to relate every detail of Shaler's life. For those of you that have the interest, I would suggest reading, "A Very Large Wizard of Oz", by June Kelly. We do need to know how he made the money to pursue his interest in art. Shaler invented the hot patch. In those days, tires had intertubes and multiple flat tires were common during a trip. The hot patch made it possible to easily repair the tube and be back on the road. It has been said "That if Ford put America on the road, it was Shaler that got them home again." Take time to look at the hot patches in the museum, as well as examples of other Shaler inventions. They are near the north west wall of the upstairs room. Shaler had a deep love for Waupun and it children. In 1925 he gave $50,000 dollars to start the Shaler Scholarship. For the last 75 years, many students have gone to college assisted by this money. One statement in the scholarship agreement tells more about Shaler than I could relate in hours. This is a quote, "the committee expend sufficient money to enable the student not only to purchase the necessary books, board, etc. but will permit him or her to also dress in such manner as will enable him or her to be on an equality with classmates and to enter into the general life of the school." unquote. Notice two things, he included women in the scholarships and also was concerned for the feelings of the students. I know that $50,000 doesn't seem like very much. I went online and converted that sum to todays money. It would amount to $474,799, now that isn't chicken feed. When we were rededicating "The End of the Trail," one of the older men there told me he had caddied for Mr. Shaler, a very popular job. They always received a $1.00 tip, that is $9.50 in todays money. I have never seen a factual account of the order of the statues that Mr. Shaler created. Remember that "Who Sows" and "The Citadel" were not direct gifts to Waupun by Mr. Shaler. They were both given to other institutions, then after years came to us. If you study the movements of the statues it seems that there was almost a Devine providence in their arrival here. We certainly must recognize Mr. Hanisch for making the arrangements and for paying for the shipping of the statue "The Citadel" to Waupun. (Applause) I can only speak in terms of my personal concepts of the works and the impact they have had on me. I am not a trained art expert, but each person seeing our pieces will interpret the works in their own way. I look upon the statues as a series of lessons. The "Pioneers" teachers that our forefathers made great sacrifices to build this country. Shaler especially appreciated the role of women and the very hard work they did. We all know the saying "A man works from dawn to dusk, but a women's work is never done." The "End of the Trail" teaches us that nothing comes without great costs. The westward migration of the white man was almost genocide for a race of people and their culture. The "Doe and Fawn" teaches us to appreciate nature. Who can see a doe and fawn in the wild and not appreciate the great world that has been prepared for us. The statue "Waubun or Dawn of Day" teaches us that there are times in our life that we must move on. As the Indian maiden in the statue prepares for a new life, there are times we must recognize that times change and move on to a new and different life. "Who Sows" teaches us that, for the most part, nature is very dependable. If we plant, we will harvest. It can almost be thought that what we sow, we will reap. Sow hatred, reap hatred, ... sow love, reap love. The Bible teaches us that "What we sow, we will reap." "Genesis" at Ripon teaches us that within each of us is something of beauty trying to get out. Don't be embarrassed by letting the gentle, kinder, better side of our self emerge. "The Recording Angel" teaches us that there will be an accounting. Each day of our lives is a page, to be filled with good or evil. The choice is ours, but our actions are being noticed and there will be a day of reckoning. What is the lesson of "The Citadel." Civilization if very fragile. I remember what happened when I was five, so Shaler could probably remember hearing of the end of the civil war and the death of Lincoln. Shaler lived through WWI. He saw the deaths from the great flu epidemic after WWI. He knew of what was happening in Europe before WWII. In fact, Mr. Shaler had an accidental fall to his death on December 16, 1941. This was only 9 days after Pearl Harbor. I look upon "The Citadel" as a warning. We need constant surveillance to see that evil doesn't prevail. The sly smile on evil in the statue shows that he has beguiling ways. I also feel that there is an internal as well as an external evil. The Bible tells us "That all have sinned." We need to watch our own actions for the appearance of evil. It comes easily and without notice. The external is also there. We need to be watchful, for it has been said "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing." Perhaps "The Citadel" is the most valuable lesson of all. Be mindful, be good, don't tolerate evil if we expect to fulfill the promises of our community's work of art. Thank Mr. Shaler for the valuable lessons he has left us and learn from them.

Acquisition

Accession

2016.0063

Source or Donor

Waupun Historical Society

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff