Friday night I went to MSU’s Riley Center in Meridian to attend a concert of songwriters Joe Ely, Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt. Not only was I impressed with the caliber of the performers that were there, but I was absolutely amazed at the grandeur and beauty of our school’s new theater. The Riley Center started life in the late 1880s as a “Grand Opera House.” There were requirements for what could be called a “Grand Opera House,” and the theater was built to these specifications. The theater operated until the late 1920s and was closed, as it remained for decades. It was used as makeshift storage for a neighboring department store, and the grand architecture of the exterior was covered by metal siding. To make a long story short, a group of citizens fought to restore the old theater, and MSU stepped in with the stipulation that the university own and operate the theater. The Riley Center is in its first season of operation and has many different plays, concerts and operas coming this year.
Things like the restoration of the Riley Center make me pretty happy. I was in Jackson with some friends this weekend, and the “suburban sprawl” of Flowood and Ridgeland is just not really pleasing. Many cities in Mississippi have very beautiful and dynamic downtown areas, and most go unrecognized for their inherent beauty and heraldry of a bygone era.
What I’m trying to say is, why not celebrate our small towns and cities? It just seems like a shame to me that most of these old buildings’ character is never taken advantage of.
The Union is a perfect example of this. Back in the 1960s they thought it would be a good idea to throw this ultra-modern, sleek, shiny building up on the Drill Field. I just wonder what was going through those guys’ heads? I guess the same could go for how Allen Hall looks. But these buildings were (and Allen is) very out of place against the stately looks of Lee, McCain and Carpenter halls.
I’m a sucker for old stuff. Things were built so much better then and are much more pleasing to the eye. I’m really just rambling here, but we’re soon to be released into the real world where we all will be making decisions. I guess I’m just trying to bring your attention to some of the small things in life. Maybe next time you’re strolling along the Drill Field, imagine what class was like in buildings with no air conditioner, or what it was like to have a blackboard in your classroom, as opposed to “death by PowerPoint.” I hope I might challenge someone to look beyond the bricks of a building and try to see its history.
In our high-speed, low-drag world, I don’t think many folks stop to smell the roses every now and then. Ferris Bueller said it best: “Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop to look around once and a while, you could miss it.” I’m not saying go crazy because you see an old building, but maybe when you see something don’t take it merely at face value.