A Shot Through the Art

Farewell fair friend. It is a sad day when the people and institution purportedly entrusted to protect you are willing to hawk you to the highest bidder. I am a R-MWC alumna, an Art History major, currently employed as a research director for an auction house and am thoroughly confused and very upset over the blatant disregard for my former college's art collection. This painting, in fact, any painting in the Maier???s collection, should not be viewed as collateral. These paintings have significance far beyond their monetary value. They are among the many values and assets that attracted me to Randolph-Macon Woman???s College, all of which I watch disappearing one by one. How can I support a school that no longer shares my hopes and wishes for an inspired, intelligent, and involved educational experience?

Randolph-Macon Woman's College had a long, cohesive history of educating women to be thoughtful, forthright, honest members of their communtity. While few alumnae went on to achieve the noteriety of Pearl S. Buck, the colleges most well known graduate, the majority have taken the knowledge and strength they learned at R-MWC and become important community, business and family members. The college motto "Vita Abunditor" or "A life more abundent" was taken very seriously by the students and faculty as were the virtues of honesty and truth as evidenced by the very successful honor code in place for over 100 years.
The manner in which the artwork was removed from the Maier Museum is not only stunning and abhorrant, but it mirrors the secretive and faulty decision making process the Board of Trustees used when taking the college co-ed. In the end, neither decision will save the college and both will assist in bringing it down.
One doesn't remove the foundation from a building in order to shore it up; anyone who does has gotten very poor advice or shouldn't be in charge of such important matters.