Nathans says Vandalism in Annenberg Hall Must Cease

Recent incidents of vandalism at newly-renovated Annenberg Hall have raised concerns about the building's security, according to Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans.

"We are most concerned about the artwork, since those items are on loan [from the Fogg Art Museum]," Nathans said.

The busts and statues in the first-year dining hall were refurbished as part of the renovation efforts. Nathans described recent acts of vandalism as costly and possibly irreparably damaging.

"[Recently the John] Adams statue was vandalized.... Someone pulled the finger off. The arm had just been replaced at great cost," Nathans said.

But Nathans added that vandalism of the statue of John Adams is a longstanding tradition.

In the 1970s, pranksters painted Adams with lipstick and this spirit of rebellion has persisted.

But the new vandalism is more destructive than in past years, according to Nathans. Parts of the broken finger are still missing, and there may be irreparable damage.

In addition to the disfigurement of the John Adams statue, Nathans said students have also defaced tables in the dining hall.

"Students are carving their initials in the tables," Nathans said.

"[The tables] were custom made and refinishing costs the students," she said.

Nathans said that the incidents of vandalism has forced the administration to consider a number of security alternatives.

"It raises broader concerns for the security of the building," Nathans said.

She said that students entering through exits at the rear of the building pose a security problem because they may allow people to enter through those doors.

"We're looking at various surveillance devices," she added.

A Blank Window

Nathans also discussed the future of a large, blank window in one wall of Annenberg Hall.

The window has attracted a lot of attention among first-years recently, generating a wealth of rumors about its purpose.

The window, one of about a dozen in the dining hall, has been labeled as everything from an emergency exit to a space commemorating the Class of 1999.

Nathans said, though, that the window has been reserved until the Annenberg family decides how it will be filled.

"The blank window is to be designated and filled with a design of the Annenberg family's choice," Nathans said.

"The issue is finding someone who can execute it the same way Tiffany and the others did. There are two distinct styles.... We don't know which they'll use," she said.

--Jal D. Mehta contributed to the reporting of this article.