FROM AUSTIN TO OXFORD
5,017 Miles
239 Years
2 completely different worlds
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN 2004
ADAM E. WITKOV
OXFORD UNIVERSITY, QUEEN’S COLLEGE 1765
JAMES NICHOLAS WINFIELD III
ADAM E. WITKOV
BUMP E320M
3/9/2004
February 6, 2004
UT Tower Austin, Texas
Another
week comes and goes and, once again, I am greeted by the salvation that is the
weekend. Wanting to take in all that Austin has to offer, the guys and I plan
a late night trip to Sixth Street. As I stumble around my room looking for a
clean polo and pair of pants, I glimpse at the tower shining brightly through my window. With its orange
glow lighting up the night’s sky, I question my relationship with the tower,
the campus, and my life at UT in general. Finishing an email to my family back
in Chicago, I reminisce about my carefree
childhood and the life I left at home for the opportunity to come to The
University of Texas. Although I am happy
to be at Texas, I continue to miss the
simplicity and comforts of home. University life has provided me with many
freedoms ranging from what I study, who my
friends are, and what I want my future
to become. Having gone to the ATM and withdrawn the allowance allotted for me
by my parents, I am ready to go out with my friends. As a result of my parents’ financial support, my college
experience allows for increased personal freedom
without the burden and
responsibility that goes along with financial independence. At last Barry has
arrived, and I must depart.
The one and only,
Adam Ethan Witkov
February 6, 1765
St. Peters Church Oxford. England
My
contemporaries and I plan to venture a night on the town. Professor Edmond Halley’s
lecture this afternoon was not only a bore, but
would have frustrated the most astute astronomical observer. Upon leaving class, I inevitably feel the urge
to unwind. I consider myself blessed to
be studying at Queen’s College amongst some of England’s finest minds. As I
sit in my room, writing this journal, I am overcome by the magnificent view of
St. Peter’s Church. As my thoughts roam to the outdoors, I reminisce about father and mother and the London countryside. I hope that life finds them well. Gaining my
independence by coming to Oxford, I cannot help but think that I have shed my
innocence. Not being from Cumberland or Westmoreland, I feared not fitting in
at Queen’s. However, after no time at all,
I made a lasting group of friends and am now immersed in the hectic lifestyle
that is college. Not entirely sure what I want to gain from my experience
here, it is most definitely my hope that Oxford will make me a better man. I must
run and see James Thwart, my tutor, and pick up this week’s stipend. I am glad
father chose to give me a hundred pounds per annum
rather than the eighty pounds he
allotted me last year. I must get my
money and depart; Jonathon Bradford wanted to leave a half hour ago.
Until next time I remain,
Lawrence Nicholas Winfield III
February 6, 2004
Rainey Hall Main Building Staircase
I
apologize for any slur in my tone…I remain a bit tipsy even at this late hour.
There were a lot of unusual occurrences this
evening, so this is my attempt to write them down as accurately as I remember.
Getting off the E-Bus, I found myself wandering
the UT campus desperately trying to find my way home. Unsure where my friends
went, I stumbled around in a drunken haze unable to discriminate fact from fiction. As I entered Rainey Hall, attempting to find refuge from the rain,
I was greeted at the front door by none other than former University of Texas
President, Homer Price Rainey. We were able to
make an instant connection through our ties to Chicago. Rainey received
his doctorate from The University of Chicago,
and I was born and raised there.
A straightforward man, Rainey laughed at
the fact that a UT building was named in
his honor because, after a faculty
meeting on October 12, 1944, the Board
of Regents fired Dr. Rainey without
explanation.[i] Bearing in mind that I was not in tip-top shape, Dr. Rainey opened the door and
sent me on my way with this lasting
piece of advice, “if you want history to
remember you as you were rather than how others saw you, keep a journal and
make sure it lives on past you.” Unsure what Rainey meant by his comment, and still under
the influence, I left Rainey Hall more
confused than I entered. Now staring at the Tower from afar, I was
drawn in by its bright, lustrous light.
In a most comedic fashion, I proceeded
towards the Tower knowing that it would
bring me closer to home.
Hall of Noble Words
Not
sure where he came from, or why he was there, as I exited Rainey and headed
towards the Tower, I saw Bevo sleeping outside, unattended and soaking in the rain.
Thinking it wrong for him to sit outside in the cold alone, we journeyed
together towards the Tower. Allowing me
to jump on his back, we rode towards the
Main Building. Seeking sanctuary from the now pelting rain, I chose to enter while
Bevo preferred to return to the stadium. Unable to return home, I took advantage of this unique opportunity for a
personal tour of the Main Building. Going step
by step up the magnificent marble stairs, I became further disorientated as to
where I was and what I was doing. Questioning whether I was in fact on the UT
campus or perhaps on vacation in Europe, I thought it best not to proceed
beyond the second floor. In search of something, I walked down a hallway and
entered a room. I was then shocked to
see heads everywhere! This was a bit overwhelming at first, seeing as I
reckoned I had solved a murder mystery and had come upon the remains of some
sort of serial killer! As I walked towards one of the heads, now in a panicked
state, his eyes opened wide and he began
to stare at me intensely. As I again proceeded forward, I noticed his face resembled
that of William Shakespeare. Before I could even attempt to piece the facts of
this discovery together, his head stated, “This
England never did, nor never shall, Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror” (William
Shakespeare “King John,” Act 5 Scene 7). Baffled
by this comment, I shook my head in agreement even though I was not sure what I
was agreeing to! I am not sure why Shakespeare would want to talk to me
about England, but maybe I will soon find out. Overwhelmed by
this odd encounter, I ran out of the room and up the stairs desperately seeking
the company of another living human being. Entering the Hall of Noble Words, I heard the whispers of others. Staring at
the elegant wood beams overhead, while continuing to search for signs of life, a
man yelled out forcefully,
“All that mankind has done, thought,
gained, or been, is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books”
(Thomas Carlyle, Hall of Noble Words). Scared, disturbed, and worried, I ran
down the stairs and exited the Main Building.
On a campus of fifty thousand students, one would think even at this ridiculously late hour another living, breathing, human being would be wandering the campus! I decided to go to the PCL, hoping to find a lone student who would listen to my account. However, after walking across half the campus in the pouring rain, I discovered the library closes at two in the morning! Dizzy, confused, and utterly upset, this experience confirmed my previous belief that academics are in fact not the main objective of the University of Texas! Rather, more often than not it seems as if we are simply cattle being herded throughout the campus, indoctrinated with Texas sports and Texas pride! I hardly think that was the case of some other famous institutions. I bet the deceased students and faculty of Oxford would be spinning in their graves if they knew we used their symbols and mantras as a justification for considering ourselves an elite educational institution.
I cannot recall how I eventually made it back home. However, I am glad to be here and am in desperate need of a good night’s sleep!
The one and only,
Adam Ethan Witkov
February 7, 2004
I woke with no memory of last night. Where I had been, what I had seen, I cannot recall! All that I can discern from the previous evening is in yesterday’s journal. Oddly enough, when I awoke I found a small journal that was not my own, lying next to my pillow. The journal looks as if it hasn’t been read in ages, and is missing the majority of its pages. Starting with an entry on February 6, 1765, it appears as if all that is left of the journal are the final three days. Bound in a black cover with the insignia of Oxford University, the short journal appears to be written in a form of Old-English. Unsure of the journal’s significance, I hope that by reading the entries, I will be able to put last night’s occurrences in perspective.
The one and only,
Adam Ethan Witkov
February 7, 1765
Last night the chaps and I got completely smashed at the local ale house, and the night ended with a philosophical debate between a tree and me in front of my residence. Seeing as I don’t remember how I got home or what I did last night, I fear I must have blacked out. I guess this is to be expected of university life, although I must admit I doubt whether father and mother would approve.
Queen’s College Library
I
am making this entry now from the library, seeing as I have fallen quite behind
in my studies. It has become increasingly difficult to concentrate due to the
numerous distractions that remain ever present. From philosophical debates
regarding England’s national and international interests, slavery, France, and
the colonies, my mind and body has become completely overwhelmed. An Oxford
Fellow named Thomas Warton verbalizes my thoughts in his poem, The Progress of Discontent. Warton states, “These fellowships are
pretty things, We live indeed like petty kings; But who can bear to waste his
whole age Amid the dullness of a college.”[ii]
Sitting here, I am overcome by the exquisite beauty of the library. The library at Queen’s was constructed in 1341, and the Upper Library was added on nearly one hundred years ago.[iii] From the “Grinling Gibbons carved bookcases, the pair of large terrestrial globes, the intricately ornamented plaster ceilings, cornice and frieze and the allegorical figures and achievements-of-arms above the doorway,”[iv] I cannot help but stare in awe.
When life gets
overwhelming, and studying in the library becomes a hopeless cause, I find
nothing more beneficial than heading outdoors. Derived from my childhood
fixation with nature, I feel the most comfortable when I am outside living as
one with nature. Even though my head was still
pounding from the night before, prior to my trip to the library, I walked
to the Walled Garden in search of solitude. On my way there, I passed the unique
home of my professor, Edmund Halley, whose house sticks out as a result of the
observatory attached to it. While Oxford is surrounded by and nestled within natural
beauty, the Walled Garden Walled Garden Queen’s College
provides the current and future home for plant life from around the globe. A
generous financial endowment left by William Sherard allowed for the creation
of this refuge and others similar to it on campus. Even on this coldest of
mornings, the beauty of my surroundings captivate me completely.
While mostly bare, the trees
stand stoic, tall, and proud. The trees stand
the test of time, remaining peaceful, swaying gracefully with the brisk
wind that flows through the winter air. The simple thought of spring makes the
trees and garden come alive. My mind escapes
reality and visualizes images of birds taking refuge in trees, squirrels
hiding behind plants, and nature and man
at last being one.
My dear friend James Radcliffe seems to be exiting the library. I find it odd to see him here because, for as long as I have known James, he has spent his time pursuing women, not an education! Along with many other extremely affluent students at Oxford, James does not conform his life one bit to Queen’s, but rather in an act of defiance, forces The University to adapt to him! Why, just a few mornings ago James had his mother send barrels of oatmeal from home on account of his distaste for breakfast at Oxford.[v] While I feel as if I have gained my independence coming to Oxford, for many, Oxford is simply the next step in a long, planned-out, logical course leading to the inheritance of their fathers’ estates. I am greatly disturbed by this fact and believe that, if this university was not limited to England’s most wealthy sons, there would be an unequivocal drive in the hearts of all students to better themselves rather than waste time. While I do still believe the majority of students have the same drive for knowledge and success as myself, it is nevertheless frustrating to notice such lapses as in the case of Mr. Radcliffe. Where has all the time gone…I must get back to work.
Until next time I remain,
Lawrence Nicholas Winfield III
February 8, 2004
Battle
Hall Paul Philippe Crete
I am completely enthralled in the book, or
rather journal, of a student at Queen’s College, Oxford in the Eighteenth Century. The writer, Lawrence Nicholas Winfield III, had a life that paralleled
aspects of mine because of similarities in age and experiences. However, there remain many contraries between our
lives. The University of Texas was founded in 1839, yet seventy-four
years prior, Lawrence attended the already established and prominent Oxford
University half a world away. What is it that distinguishes my education at
Texas from his at Oxford hundreds of years ago? Walking the campus I sought my
sense of place at UT. As I return to the Main Building, the location where my
adventure began just a few nights ago, I posed this same query to the Main
Building. She swiftly replied with Ashbel Smith’s remarks on November 17, 1882, following the completion of the west
wing of the Main Building, “Smite the rocks with the rod of knowledge, and
fountains of unstinted wealth with gush forth.”[vi] Surpassing the forty acres originally allotted for The
University campus, UT has grown in size and prestige. The architecture of the
University was designed to embrace the essence, climate, and picturesque
atmosphere of the UT campus. Using natural
Texas limestone, Cass Gilbert, a New York architect, designed Battle Hall by
fusing historical influence with innovative architecture. In an act of
destructive innovation, The University replaced
the old Victorian Gothic Main Building with a
Beaux Arts Style tower constructed in 1939 by Paul Philippe Crete. Designing
and influencing the construction of an additional eighteen buildings on The
University of Texas Campus, Crete had enormous influence on the architectural style of The University.
Embracing a Mediterranean Revival architectural style, Crete had a unique vision of constructing an “elastic formal plan” which
would accommodate the future needs and desires of The University.[vii]
Thus my sense of space at UT is partially derived from Crete’s vision of how the campus should look. Crete’s design for The University of Texas seems natural and logical to me. However, I realize I am biased, seeing as this is my only perception of The University. I wonder how my sense of space would differ had The University been constructed entirely in a Gothic design (similar to the Old Main Building). While I am not exactly sure what effect it would have, I feel that it would elicit a more cold and distant relationship between the campus and me. My generation is unable to connect with the religious and social themes inherent in Gothic architecture. Even though students can admire Gothic architecture from afar, they often limit their interaction with it to vacations and textbooks. Most Texans today would be overwhelmed by a campus filled with European influenced Victorian Gothic architecture. Crete’s architectural design promoted a sense of community and identity that has subsequently been built upon both architecturally and socially. Mediterranean Revival architecture creates an underlying connection among the buildings of UT as a result of their shared architectural influence. Similarly, the students at The University of Texas share an underlying connection because they are all from Texas…well, except for me.
My sense of space is not the enormous Texas flag flying high in front of the Main Building or the statues of confederate officers dispersed throughout the campus. Rather, it is my own unique relationship with the buildings, nature, and places of UT. Standing on the south mall amidst the six-pack, I feel in-sync with The University. In front of me I see the Main Building, and as I arch my head up, I see the top of the Tower accompanied by the bright, blue Texas sky. I look the opposite direction and notice the Littlefield Fountain, the Texas State Capitol, and downtown Austin. Suddenly, I create a connection between The University and its place within Austin. I observe a pigeon begging for food, and my thoughts rush to Daily Plaza in Downtown Chicago. All of these experiences, and thousands more that occur each day, help develop my personal sense of space within The University of Texas.
Construction of new Main
Building and Tower
While
I share fundamental similarities with my British counterpart, I nevertheless
live a drastically different life. I attend a school accompanied by fifty-thousand
fellow students. There is no aristocratic
requirement
in the admission process at UT. Instead of small, intimate classes discussing
philosophy one-on-one with a professor,
we sit in hundred-student lecture halls.
We go to football games attended by
more people than occupy most towns. The life we lead here, at The University
of Texas in 2004, in fact bears little
resemblance to that of Oxford in 1765. We are not a religious institution, but
in fact a state-run educational enterprise. We define success in terms of the
degree we earn and job we receive rather than the knowledge gained or thought
expressed.
While I love my life in the here and now, I ponder whether it would have been more advantageous for me to have attended Oxford in the Eighteenth Century, as opposed to The University of Texas right now.
The one and only,
Adam Ethan Witkov
February 8, 1765
Front
Quad Queen’s College
“Reginae
erunt nutrices tuae" (Isiah 49.23), Queens
shall be thy nursing mothers, or so goes the motto of our college. Founded and
endowed by England’s fine Queens, our
college holds a special place in the mystique that is Oxford University. Upon
leaving Oxford, Elizabeth I stated, “Farwell, farewell, dear Oxford! God bless
thee, and increase thy sons in number, holiness and virtue”[viii]
Living out her decree, students at
Queen’s are, for the most part, greatly
appreciative of their academic environment. The most notable aspect of my
college is most likely the Front Quad, constructed by the elegantly radical
architect Nicholas Hawksmoor.
Hawksmoor designed high arched windows which
were separated by Tuscan pilasters. The beauty of the quad embodies the
essence of the college: a mythical,
mysterious, living being.
Contemplating why I started writing this journal, I realize that it is not in fact for me, but rather my gift to the future. I assume very few others in my situation are taking the time to record their accounts. It is my hope that this journal helps to bridge the gap between my own and future generations. Rather than be defined by historians, I want others to have a first-hand account of the life I led. In writing this journal thus far, I have attempted to communicate more than just the personality of professors and the structure of courses at Queen’s (for I am sure historians will write about that). The reason I wrote this journal is to explain my overall experience and perspective while studying at Oxford. Like any other, an Oxford experience is only as good as you make it. It is my hope that anyone that comes across this journal uses it to help build their own relationship with their environment and past. If you have the opportunity to go to a university, I advise you to most definitely take advantage of it. Yet, while you are there, remember that the students whose college experiences do not go beyond the walls of the classroom remain limited to their academics experiences for the rest of their lives. With this advice, I bid you farewell.
Until next time I remain,
Lawrence Nicholas Winfield III
February 9, 2004
In this, my final journal entry, I hope to briefly comment upon what Lawrence’s experience has meant to me. Through reading the heartfelt and elegant account of his college experience, I am now more apt to gauge my own. Never in a million years would I have perceived a night of reckless drunkenness to lead to one of the greatest self discoveries imaginable. Now more attentive to my own surroundings, as a result of being exposed to his, I hope to put Lawrence’s advice into practice and have begun by starting my own journal. Not yet sure of its benefit to others, it is my hope, similar to his, that it will clarify my experiences at UT and help others better gauge their own.
The one and only,
Adam Ethan Witkov
Word Count: 3,692