LaGrange College held a dedication ceremony Friday to honor the accomplishments of Walter Y. Murphy with the naming of the Murphy Academic Quadrangle.
Murphy became the 23rd president of LaGrange College in 1980 after serving four years as president of Andrew College. He remained at LaGrange for 16 years, retiring in 1996.
The quadrangle is a courtyard that sits atop the main campus, surrounded by the college’s most historic buildings: Smith Hall, Hawkes Hall, the Callaway Academic Building and the Quillian Building, where Murphy’s office was located.
During the dedication ceremony, President Stuart Gulley said that “one of the greatest manifestations of Walter’s leadership is the beauty of this quadrangle.” A plaque placed at the site underscores the transformation of the quadrangle during his tenure as president.
The size of the LaGrange campus doubled under Murphy’s leadership, thanks to the donation of land and facilities from the Callaway Foundation that included Callaway Auditorium, Callaway Education Building, six tennis courts, two softball fields, sites for Cleaveland baseball field and the soccer field, and a swimming pool that was converted into Charles D. Hudson Natatorium in 1995.
Murphy’s presidency also saw the completion of several major building projects, including the construction of Lamar Dodd Art Center and Fuller E. Callaway Academic Building, and the renovation of Smith and Hawkes halls.
Murphy helped to more than triple the college’s endowment during his time as president. He also presided over the installation of computer technology across the campus as well as the implementation of a land-use plan with extensive landscaping and an increase in enrollment from 800 to about 1,000 students.
Upon his retirement in 1996, a white oak sapling was planted in the center of what is now known as the Murphy Academic Quadrangle, commemorating his service to the college and honoring his passion for trees and plants. Today, the oak reaches high above the buildings that surround it.
After Friday’s dedication ceremony, more than 100 guests that included family members, friends, college alumni, trustees, faculty and staff members attended a luncheon to honor the contributions of Murphy and his wife, Marianne, in the Dickson Assembly Room inside the Mabry Gipson Student Center.
Murphy said, “Today is a soul’s feast for me and Marianne because we are surrounded by all of our family and friends.”
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