Students returning to class at Saint Vincent College this fall may have been surprised to discover that six classrooms now look like art galleries.

The transformation is the result of a project undertaken by graduates of the Class of 1973, coordinated by Dr. William Snyder, professor of English. A solicitation made by him and classmates John Toohey and John Stevens got donors to contribute about $6000 to make the vision possible.

“We realized that decoration makes the classroom a more intellectually stimulating place,” Dr. Snyder said.

As the class of ’73 prepared to mark its 35th anniversary year at the 2008 Homecoming, Snyder, Toohey and Stevens thought that time was right to start thinking about legacy. “Students sitting in these classrooms today will see plaques that mark the contribution of the 1973 group. Current students may feel a sense of connection to their forebears, and appreciate the idea that persons long gone from the classroom still care about college learning spaces, and, indirectly, about young men and women sitting in these rooms so many decades later,” he stated. “When today’s students become alums, they might think about ways in which enhancements made possible by alumni rendered their Saint Vincent experience unique and rich.”

Five of the refurbished classrooms are located in Alfred Hall and one is in Placid Hall. In addition to artworks which have a different theme in each classroom, other details included cosmetic makeovers that include impressive features like natural oak wood frames surrounding traditional chalkboards.

Classroom 37, where many mathematics classes are taught, has Geometry and Perspective in Art as its theme. “Science has always played an important role in visual art,” Dr. Snyder commented. “Material inventions such as the tin tube, which made outdoor painting viable, various color wheels going back to Isaac Newton, which advanced chromatics, and photography, which freed the process of depiction from canvas and paint, are famous examples of technological innovation that revolutionized artistic methods. The images in [Alfred 37] all display a basic formal element in visual art, linear perspective.”

Other classrooms follow themes of The Hudson River School, Liberty and Freedom, American History, and Modern Art. Sixty framed reproductions of paintings have been installed--including works by Paul Klee, M.C. Escher, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and others. In one classroom, framed texts of speeches, passages and poetry accompany the art.

Artwork not only makes classrooms more inviting; the visual experience can complement lessons and supply examples. “The classroom space is itself a ‘teachable moment,’” Dr. Snyder observed.

Assisting in implementing the project was a campus committee which included Ms. Celine Brudnok, Ms. Alice Kaylor, Mr. Dennis Grace and Mr. Larry Hendrick.

“Research shows that the classroom environment has measurable impacts on student learning,” noted Dr. John Smetanka, vice president for academic affairs. “The addition of the art will most certainly have a positive impact on the learning environment.”

Photo: Reproductions of art by Klee, Escher, Van Gogh, Monet, Matisse and Picasso add a gallery appearance to Saint Vincent College classrooms.

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