[North Kansas City Industrial Press 6/28/51]

Cornerstone Laid for Memorial Union at MU

Brief ceremonies marked the Cornerstone laying of the new Student Memorial Union Building at the University of Missouri on Alumni Day, June 7.
There were three speakers: President Frederick A. Middlebush of the University; Thomas W. Campbell, president of the Student Government Association; and Dr. Herbert Bunker, who spoke in behalf of the General Alumni Association. William A. Stauffer of Maryville, a student in the School of Journalism, presided as a representative of the Student-Alumni Council.
"This building is important in the University's program for several reasons", Dr. Middlebush said. "I would place first the fact that it will constitute a fitting memorial to those Missouri students who gave their lives in the Nation's service during the Second World War. Secondly this building will provide more adequate facilities for bringing students, faculty members and University administrative officers into close touch with one another. We could well dedicate this building, not only as a memorial, but as an instrument for developing and maintaining a spirit of understanding and good will between all segments of the University family who will use it.
"Finally, I trust that this building will always be a campus home for Missouri alumni and friends of the University as they return throughout the years."
A copper box was sealed in an opening cut into the stone. It contains a list of the original Committee of Nine that participated in the campaign, beginning in 1920, to raise funds through public subscription for construction of a memorial tower and a student union building. The box also contains a summary report of various subscription drives for fund pledges for the Memorial Union.
Other items in the container: A printed prospectus relative to the Memorial Building Revenue Bonds; a picture of Memorial Tower and of the Columns; a copy of "Missouri in Memoriam," a brochure listing University students who lost their lives in World War II; a copy of the Columbia Missourian of May 31, 1951 and a copy of the Columbia Daily Tribune of June 2, 1951; a program of the 1950 Commencement at which President Truman gave the Commencement address; current announcements of various University divisions and services; a bulletin showing Missouri Honor Awards; residence hall bulletins and pamphlets; a copy of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat of April 9, 1951, containing the color photographs and story on M. U. residence halls; and copies of the General Catalog of the University's Columbia and Rolla divisions for 1951-52.
The Cornerstone is near the southwest corner of the $2,500,000 Memorial Union Building. It is also a corner of the Memorial Lobby of the new structure, a memorial lobby which will contain the names of those students, former students and members of the faculty who gave their lives in World War II. The new construction is adjacent to and connected with Memorial Tower, which was dedicated on November 20, 1926. Plans for construction of two wings for the Union Building, with the Tower in the center, were abandoned more than two decades ago because of rising building costs and exhausted funds. Numerous attempts were made to resume the Union Building construction, but the public raising of funds for the work seemed out of the question, and the Legislatures repeatedly turned down requests for appropriations.
In recent years, however, University authorities have been able to save up more that $1,500,000 from income other than state appropriations, and last year obtained passage of a law authorizing the Board of Curators to issue revenue bonds. Only $300,000 of state appropriated money is going into the building. All footings and foundations have been complete and much of the superstructure for the first and second floors is finished.