When students walk past the buildings on campus, most see only one thing: classes.

However, what some may overlook is the rich history behind the buildings.

Some of the buildings at Eastern project their philosophies and ideals not just within the classroom, but also on the building itself, through images and inscriptions passed down from generation to generation.

The Physical Science Building holds most of the natural science courses, including chemistry, physics, geology/geography and psychology. Since 1937, the building has emphasized the idea of gaining knowledge from the past and working with it in the present, thanks to the unique architecture of the building.

“If (students) didn’t know its purpose by the building itself, they should know by the names. They are the heavy weights of natural science,” said John Stimac, chair of the geology/geography department.

Upon a closer look at the Physical Science building, details of the architecture stand out.

Above each doorway are statues of two scientists, which resemble idealized versions of Galileo and the Copernicus, whose work revealed Earth revolves on an axis around the sun.

Inscriptions of famous natural scientists last names surround the figures. Some of these names include Newton, Galileo, Kepler and Darwin.

“These were incredible researchers and educators,” Stimac said. “They wanted their people to understand the importance of sciences. Galileo and Kepler shared all their ideas and Copernicus did say to not only educate other scientists but everyone.”

Stimac said having images and inscriptions gives the building its character and said he hopes students notice them to expand their understanding of the sciences.

“I would like to think that students who notice the names always understand the importance of the contributions the scientists made on society,” Stimac said. “Or if they are taking a natural science course for the first time, they understand the important contributions as well.”

Closer to the top of the building are images of dinosaurs inscribed in the walls that Stimac said could be seen as being a link to paleontology and life science. Paleontology, the study of ancient plant and animal life in fossil form, is a subcategory of the geology department, but can also be seen as a tie to life sciences.

“It just shows that all science is related,” Stimac said. “You can’t understand geology without chemistry, physics and biology. Its truly interdisciplinary.”

The Life Science Building bears inscriptions that link biological studies in the present to scientists and philosophers of the past.

“I don’t know why they were chosen, but the people at the time thought they held good ideas about biological science,” said Michael Goodrich, entomologist and professor emeritus for the biology department.

Located at the main doors facing the Alumni Clock Tower, two quotes are from philosophers, while the third is from an ecologist and a botanist.

All three quotes relate to nature and how it relates to the world.

The second quote is the only quote not by a biologist or botanist, but by British philosopher Francis Bacon. Goodrich said that Bacon’s comment on nature inspires students to relate to the ideals of life sciences.

Goodrich came to Eastern a few years after the Life Science Building’s dedication in 1962. He said that he thinks the administrators chose these quotes for their philosophical teachings.

“These (quotes) are philosophical statements of what we are doing,” Goodrich said. “Just because they leave (Darwin) off is not really leaving him off – it just leaves room for others, which have good, broad philosophical notions.”

Goodrich said these quotes not only reflect life science as a whole, but can be connected to all sciences, just as Stimac said.

With the proposed idea of building a new science building after the completion of the Doudna Fine Arts Center, both professors have mixed feelings as to what that could mean for their building’s inscriptions and history.

Goodrich said although the university may build a new building, they could always take those quotes with them as a reminder of where they came from, while Stimac feels that maybe the new building would have new scientists and images that link to all the natural sciences, not just chemistry, physics, geology, but also economics, political science and psychology.

Currently the psychology department has no representation on the Physical Science Building, where it has been housed for many years.

“Its nice to have a tie to history,” Stimac said. “The best way to do it is to list some great scientists of the past and their link through history.”

Booth Library also holds its link to history by its architecture and inscriptions. Originally built from 1948-1950, Booth holds some of its ties to history with the inscriptions in the main lobby in the original structure. Booth Archivist Bob Hillman said the building holds its architectural style from the 1920s and ’30s, the time period the building was being planned and getting ready for construction. When World War II broke out, construction was put on hold and started up again in 1948, but instead of having a modern design, it held the design picked out the decade before.

Northern Illinois University was given almost the exact same architectural plans and that was later turned into their law library, with the front and back of the building looking like Booth, Hillman said.

The inscription in the inside of the front of the building is a detailed ship with an inscription by Francis Bacon while on the other walls there are inscriptions by John Milton and Henry David Thoreau, famous literary authors. All quotes can be linked back to the knowledge gained from books.

“The famous quotation(s) reflect on what the library is trying to do,” Hillman said. “They are providing gateways to knowledge and providing resources, to find out anything and everything for (people) interested in learning.”

Hillman said students sometimes miss out on architectural history and culture because they are simply not paying attention.

“Students that walk through appear not notice anything. Some look, but by looking into day to day activity, its hard to tell,” Hillman said. “They miss out on architectural history and culture, but everyone has different interests, some are just more interested in getting up to the fourth floor to check their e-mail.”

Quotes

Life Sciences

. “That is the charm of teaching from nature herself, no one can warp her to suit his own view. She brings us back to absolute truth as often as we wonder.” Alexander Agassiz, zoologist/ geologist 1835-1910

.”We cannot command nature except by obeying her,” Francis Bacon, British philosopher 1561-1626

. “Nature is an open book for those who come to read. Each grass-covered hillside is a page on which is written the history of the past, conditions of the present and the predictions of the future. Some see without understanding, but let us look closely…and act wisely,” J.E. Weaver, ecologist and botanist 1884-1966

Booth Library:

.”Books are the treasured wealth of the world,” Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher and writer, 1817-1862

.”A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit,” John Milton, British writer, 1608- 1674

.” Books are the ships which pass through the vast sea of time,” Francis Bacon, Bristish philosopher 1561-1626