Alice E. Biddle - Corvallis, OR - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

Visitors to the Oregon State University campus can visit a bronze statue of Alice E. Biddle, the first woman to graduate from what is now Oregon State University in 1870. The statue was created by artist Kirk St. Maur in 1983. This statue is also part of the Smithsonian Art Inventory and the following excerpt is from their website:

"Figurative sculpture representing Alice Biddle, the first woman to graduate from Oregon State University. The figure is standing and her head is turned to the proper right. In her proper right hand, she holds a piece of rolled-up paper depicted in bronze. Both arms are slightly held out from her sides."

There is a small metal plaque near the statue that says the following:

Kirk St. Maur 1983
THE QUEST bronze

The Quest symbolizes ALICE E. RIDDLE, who in 1870 became the first woman to graduate from what is now Oregon State University. It reflects the energy, dedication and strength of all students in the pursuit of learning.

This work made possible
by Oregon's Art in Public Places Program

As an alum of OSU, I passed by this statue dozens of times and never gave Alice a second's thought... until now. 20 years later, I find myself in a whole new appreciation of all things cultural, artistic and historical. the Alice Biddle statue embodies all of these things.

I found a web page that highlights Alice Biddle's accomplishments from the University of Oregon's Digital Archives and states the following:

Alice Eudorah Biddle (Mooreland), born in Corvallis, Oregon in 1854, was the first woman graduate of Oregon State University, completing her four-year curriculum and degree in just over three years. She was class valedictorian with perfect grades and perfect attendance. She graduated at age 16 and was known as Corvallis' most intelligent young woman. She was the daughter of one of Benton County's wealthiest families and married college professor William Walter Moreland. In the mid-1870's she and her husband moved to Oregon City and later to California, where Mr. Moreland became a prominent attorney. In 1875(sic), Alice Biddle organized the first alumni reunion in OSU school history. Her statue sits today just to the east of the Memorial Union and is a favorite meeting and resting spot for students and faculty. (selected information contained in OAC Collection materials)

*NOTE* The UO Digital Archives web page also contains PDF documents of artist Kirk St. Maur's resume of accomplishments.

TITLE: Alice E. Biddle ARTIST(S): Kirk St. Maur DATE: 1983 MEDIUM: Bronze CONTROL NUMBER: IAS OR000004 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located at Oregon State University, between Memorial Union and the pay parking lot, Corvallis, Oregon DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: I didn't find anything different from my initial observation of the statue and the Inventory Listing. *NOTE* AIC has my permission to use the pictures I've provided when creating this waymark for their database. ~Doug Halvorsen (thebeav69)

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Please give the date of your visit, your impressions of the sculpture, and at least ONE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH. Add any additional information you may have, particularly any personal observations about the condition of the sculpture.

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