Birthplace of the Revolution

This post should have come early last week, as soon as I heard the good news, but I’m too busy convincing the kids to eat just one more bite of cheese sandwich and reading library books for the gazillionth time to be bothered by updating this blog. Clearly.

Lately, I’ve been finding myself among the gigantesque ghosts of brick and mortar that were once the academic building of Antioch College. Knee-height grass, fallen tree limbs and abandoned gardens indicate the total disrepair to which this important Yellow Springs landmark has been condemned.

But last Tuesday morning, an announcement was made that the Antioch College Alumni Association has purchased the college, which closed last year for financial reasons, from the Antioch University system, which seems to be thriving despite the minimal life support they gave the original and historical college, which has been gasping for breath for years.

Antioch College was purchased for $6,080,000 and rumors say that it may reopen in 2011 as an institution separate from Antioch University, despite the fact that the college still lacks accreditation.

Resounding cries of gratitude that the college has been “saved” seem to ignore the enormous challenge that lies ahead, but nonetheless the villagers of Yellow Springs are hopeful. The closing of Antioch college has brought about the unemployment of many residents, a slew of FOR SALE signs in the front of Yellow Springs houses, and slow economic times in the downtown area, which depends heavily on weekend tourists, many of whom were at one time parents of Antioch students.

I’ve never been accused of being a realist, so I’m going continue in my habit of hopeless optimism. I prefer to believe that there will once again be life in Kelly Hall, the tinny tinkling of piano keys trickling from a turret window; installation art will provoke wonder, if not comprehension, along the path to the Antioch amphitheater, and rope swings will hang from the high limbs of the wise old trees that shade the grassy campus.

To 5-year-old Amélie, the possible return of Antioch College seems to signify something completely different. Last week, as we passed the the Non-Stop headquarters where a giant banner bears the distinctive silhouette of the towers of Kelly Hall and the words THANK YOU, Amélie shouted from her booster seat in the back of the van, “Thank you, Antioch College, for saving us from burning tires!” and broke into fits of laughter. Kai and I still aren’t sure what this means, but whatever our reasoning, it seems that we’re all grateful for the college’s return.