Virginia Tech's Norris Hall to Reopen
By: Matusleo
Published On: 6/6/2007 9:37:26 PM
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger has just announced that Norris Hall will be reopened in two weeks, and will be used for offices and laboratories. There will be no more classrooms in Norris Hall.
The full article is in the Roanoke Times.
The West Wing of the second floor of Norris Hall is where the shootings took place on April 16th. I know well this portion of the building, for in August of 1999, I taught my first math class there. I taught two more classes in that wing over the next three years.
Many people have suggested demolishing Norris Hall and putting up a Memorial. I hated that idea, and am very glad they decided against it. I understand why many students would not want to have classes there again, but I could not stand to see it gone. It is a part of Virginia Tech, a part of my Hokie experience. To lose it would be to lose too much.
When I was there last month, I took some time to walk around Norris Hall, that is, outside beyond the fence. I could not get close, but I could look at this place and remember all the times I went in and out, and all the times I taught there. It was painful not being able to walk through the classes again.
And now since they are repainting and redoing the hall, it will never be the way it once was.
But that is a part of life, growing and changing. Sometimes it happens naturally. Other times it is the only choice we have.
I applaud President Steger for his decision to keep Norris open, even if only for offices and labs. It is more than many of us Hokies could have hoped for. In a way, it's as if one more victim has survived.
I will again say a prayer for the victims who did not. And on June 18th, when Norris Hall reopens, I will do so again.
Matusleo
Ut Prosim
Comments
Virginia Tech creates funds to honor shooting victims (Lowell - 6/6/2007 10:11:59 PM)
This is truly "a noble gesture," to quote Paul Turner, "father of 22-year-old Maxine Turner, of Vienna, Va., who was killed just weeks before she was to receive an honors degree and start a chemical engineering job."
But a truly logical gesture . . . (opencarry - 6/7/2007 9:47:25 AM)
would be for the VT Board of Visitors to repeal their Ivory Tower Gun Ban which helped create the victimization zone at VT, and the killing fields of Norris Hall.
If I were a student at VT, I would just start open carrying until VT expelled me, then I would continue open carrying on VT campus because as as soon as I was expelled, VT has no more say over whether I carry or not.
See VA AG Opinion at http://www.vcdl.org/...
Why are you bringing a gun debate into this? (Lowell - 6/7/2007 9:54:25 AM)
The author of the diary was not talking about that issue. Also, I find your use of the phrase "killing fields" to be highly offensive, given that the historical significance of the term.
What's highly offensive are Ivory Tower Gun Bans infringing on . . . (opencarry - 6/7/2007 10:30:02 AM)
the human right of self-defense.
The VT Board of Visitors public policy of saying "We're all unarmed, don't hurt us" did not work.
The Killing Fields of Norris hall were enabled by VT's irresponsible Ivory Towner Gun Ban.
Cho stopped his rampage & killed himself when he heard a gun blast of police shooting at door locks a floor below - 32 dead Americans too late.
It's people like you who make gun moderates (Lowell - 6/7/2007 10:40:38 AM)
like myself run towards the "million mom" and Brady people.
You mean people like me who know that guns are a great tool for (opencarry - 6/7/2007 10:49:01 AM)
self defense and that victimization zones are a bad idea?
Any "gun moderate" who disagrees with those two concepts . . . is no moderate!
Good grief, next you'll tell us you believe in the Second Amendment because it relates to hunting and arming the National Guard!!
Again, it's your rhetoric. (Lowell - 6/7/2007 1:02:31 PM)
"Victimization zones" and all that. No thanks.
I think this was the best option (mkfox - 6/7/2007 12:31:32 AM)
Tearing down Norris Hall still wouldn't help all wounds heal, and although we don't want to dwell on tragedy and terror, we don't want to forget the lost. If the wing/floor where the massacre happened won't be reused or reopened in any significant way, how about turning it into a museum/memorial? Tech officials have said they're keeping all the objects used as memorials on the campus after the tragedy, and Tech has probably received countless banners, letters and other materials from heads of state, other colleges and ordinary people, so it only seems suitable using that part of Norris to house these materials for posterity.
In The Library (Matusleo - 6/7/2007 5:31:45 AM)
From what I have heard, most of that material is being catalogued by the Library and stored away. Some of it was set out on the Drillfield, but the banners were put in Squires Student Center. It was shocking to see just how many banners and how much support the college communities across this nation and the world gave to Virginia Tech.
Honestly, they couldn't put all of it up in Norris Hall. And in some sense, they do need to 'put it away'. Some should be left visible, but most of it needs to be put somewhere where folks can access it, but only if they want to. I know I wouldn't want to stumble across it during the course of my day to day activities.
Matusleo
Ut Prosim
Agree on memorializing the floor (Alicia - 6/7/2007 9:54:06 AM)
where so many died. I would imagine it's a haunting place - no matter the fresh paint, or refurbishing.