On-Campus Memorials

By Sarah Galzerano

James P. Hayward Board Member Memorial

Located along the walkway between West Quad and the Campus Center, right below a holly tree, sits a memorial commemorating James B. Hayward, one of the first members of the original nine-member Board of Trustees for Richard Stockton College. Hayward served as a trustee from 1969 – 1978; between 1974 and 1978, he acted as Vice Chairman. He was also on the Executive Committee. In addition to his service at Stockton, he was the President of the Atlantic City Electric Company, the Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Atlantic City Medical Center and the Children’s Seashore House, and a board member of the Atlantic County Red Cross.

Further Reading…

Stockton Chronicle: Volume 5, Number 17

 

Elizabeth B. Alton Auditorium

In A-Wing, what used to be a lecture hall was renovated into an auditorium, and on September 28, 2004, during the inauguration of Stockton’s fourth President Herman J. Saatkamp Jr., the space was dedicated to Elizabeth B. Alton. Alton, an Atlantic City native and Syracuse University alumna, is best known for being one of the nine original members of the Board of Trustees for Richard Stockton College; she also became the first woman chair in the state college system. In 1966, she turned her inspiration for South Jersey to have a state college into a grass roots campaign. Along with many others, she fought persistently for the charter for the school to be accepted (1969), persuaded many local community groups to become involved, and lobbied for the location of today’s main Galloway campus. Alton derived from a family of “founders,” her grandfather, Joseph A. Barstow, being a driving force behind the establishment of the Atlantic City Boardwalk. She was married to John Alton and had two children. Alton passed away in 2006 at age 100.

Further Reading…

Stockton College to Dedicate Auditorium In Honor of Elizabeth B. Alton

Elizabeth Alton was the 'founding mother' of Richard Stockton College

The Stockton Story: A History of the Founding of Richard Stockton College

 

Pop Lloyd Memorial

Located near the north entrance of the Sports Center (Big Blue), heading from the Campus Center, sits a large bas-relief commemorating John Henry “Pop” Lloyd (1884–1965) and other individuals, such as Willie Mays, who contributed to African American sports history. The memorial, designed by artist Jennifer Frudakis, was originally housed at Pop Lloyd Baseball Stadium in Atlantic City. It was donated to Stockton in 2007 by the Committee to Restore Pop Lloyd Stadium. Pop Lloyd, a Florida native and Hall of Famer, played organized baseball in the Negro Leagues for 27 seasons (until he was 58), with 12 different teams, including 4 seasons with the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants. Each year, Stockton carries on the tradition of hosting a humanitarian award ceremony in Pop Lloyd’s name. The Pop Lloyd collection, including materials donated from the committee, can be found in Stockton’s Special Collections & Archives.

Further Reading…

Special Collections: John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Committee Records

“Pop” Lloyd Archives at Stockton

Argo: Volume 72, Number 11

 

G. Larry James Stadium

In 2007, Stockton’s track & field/soccer complex was dedicated to G. Larry James, better known to some as “The Mighty Burner,” an Olympian and Hall of Famer who was a driving force in Stockton athletics for 36 years. Located along the track stands a touchstone rock that was dedicated in 2008 in his honor; athletes often skim their hands over it before games for good luck. James won both a silver medal and a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Just a few years later, in 1972, he started coaching track & field at Stockton, and by 1980, he became the athletic director. He was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2003 as well as Stockton’s Hall of Fame in 2010. This came after his passing in 2008, which was a result of a long battle with cancer. Each year, Stockton holds the G. Larry James Legacy 5k race, which raises funds for the endowed scholarship in his name. 

Further reading…

New York Times: G. Larry James, Olympic Gold Medalist, Dies at 61

G. Larry James Legacy 5K to Become Part of Atlantic City Marathon Series

Press of Atlantic City: The legacy of G. Larry James lives on

 

Dr. Carol Slocum Memorial Bench

Located near the Lost Walk Bridge along Lake Fred’s Dark Path sits a memorial bench dedicated to the late Dr. Carol Slocum in 2010. Slocum taught Marine Science at Stockton for nearly 30 years, starting in the fall of 1980. Her research included seal behavior and marine botany/algae. At Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory in Jamaica, she was referred to as the “algae woman.” In 1994, at Stockton, she developed a New Jersey seal study with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) in Brigantine, which turned into an undergraduate course. In addition to this, she taught nine other Marine Science courses and three general education courses (including Nature Writing); she also regularly took her students on trips to local field stations. In a 1983 Argo interview, Slocum stated that she would work until she died; through her passion, she helped pave the path at Stockton for women to succeed in the sciences.

Further reading…

Linda Dotts Awarded Stacy Moore Hagan Memorial Scholarship to Continue Carol Slocum’s Research

Argo: Volume 26, Number 12: NSF Will Send Slocum to Jamaica

Argo: Volume 52, Number 7: New Seal Study Class

 

Richard E. Bjork Library

Located in the heart of F-Wing is Stockton’s 3-story library, with over 40,000 electronic journals, 125 public-access computers, and 500 seats. The library also encompasses University Archives, Special Collections, the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, and the Constantelos Hellenic Collection & Reading Room. In April of 2012, as part of school’s 40^th anniversary, the library was named after Stockton’s first president, Richard E. Bjork. Bjork served as president from 1969 to 1978; he oversaw hiring, recruitment, and construction. It was his idea for the building’s interior walls to be movable, so that any room could be expanded if necessary. He was also well-known for his interest in the students; he always treated them as his equals, allowing them to help plan for Stockton’s future. Bjork was a family man; he and his wife Joan used to cook for college events. After Stockton, he became chancellor of the Vermont State College System before passing away in 1984.

Further Reading…

Richard Stockton College dedicates library to memory of first president

 

Stockton Veterans Park

Stockton’s Veterans Park, located in the G-Wing courtyard, houses multiple memorials dedicated to/from the school in honor of those who have served. There is a dedication to the late SGT Joseph Puggi, prisoners of war, and those missing in action at the top of the stone-covered hill and was. Two large stones sit in the center: to the left, the Vietnam War memorial dedicated on March 29, 1979, and to the right, the Operation Desert Storm memorial dedicated on November 4, 2009. To the far left of the hill sits a smaller stone, dedicated by the 1994-95 Stockton Student Senate, for all the students, faculty, and staff who lost their lives in combat. The most recent memorial, located to the right of The Freedom Tree, was dedicated on Veterans Day of 2013 in honor of the late Jose “Nick” Santana, who worked at Stockton as a union painter for the last 18 years of his life. For many years, Stockton has received national recognition for its Military and Veteran Services; as of 2018, Stockton was ranked 16^th in the nation amongst the Military Times Best: Colleges.

Further Reading…

Stockton Named ‘Best for Vets’ in ranking by Military Times

 

Constantelos Hellenic Collection & Reading Room

Located on the second floor of the Richard E. Bjork Library is the Constantelos Hellenic Collection and Reading Room, dedicated to Rev. Dr. Demetrios J. Constantelos on September 26, 2014. This establishment is part of the statewide Greek-American Oral History Project. Constantelos was a Distinguished Research Scholar in Residence and the Charles Cooper Townsend Sr. Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies, Emeritus at Stockton. He studied at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Rutgers University. In addition to Stockton, he taught at Rutgers, Hellenic College, Boston College, and New York University. Constantelos also served as pastor in multiple Greek Orthodox Communities throughout New Jersey, contributed to theological and historical publications, and spoke at national conferences. The collection houses around 3,000 works from his own personal library. Constantelos paved the way for students to dive into Hellenic Studies, a core player in Stockton’s ever expanding global engagement.

Further Reading…

Constantelos Hellenic Collection and Reading Room Dedicated

 

Dominick A. Messina Memorial Bench

Located along Lake Fred’s Dark Path sits a memorial bench dedicated to the late Dominick A. Messina in July of 2015: the 10^th anniversary of his passing. Dominick was married to Nancy Messina, the assistant dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. The memorial location was chosen, because the letters S and J were carved into a nearby tree along the shore; this drew a connection to Dominick and Nancy’s children, Sarah and Jason. Dominick worked at Stockton for 31 years as bursar and later as director of Special Accounting Projects. He also served as a volunteer radio host for WLFR, Lake Fred Radio. He graduated Stockton with a B.A. in Accounting in 1982 and an M.B.S. in ’99. In July 2008, the Dominick A. Messina Endowed Scholarship was established, and each year benefits a full-time student with a preference in visual and performing arts.

Further reading…

Stockton Times Issue 43 (2015)

Photos of Bench Dedication

 

The Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room

At Stockton's Atlantic City campus, the Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room was dedicated in November 2018. It commemorates the life and work of Fannie Lou Hamer, a Civil Rights Movement and voting rights activist who was active throughout the nation (and especially in her home state of Mississippi). Hamer received national notoriety for her speech during the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, speaking out against the all-white Mississippi delegation. She passed away in 1977. This space was the first memorial at Stockton to be named after someone without a connection to the University. Furthermore, for nearly two decades, Stockton has held the Fannie Lou Hamer Human and Civil Rights Symposium, which honors her memory.