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The Legacy of Judge Robert Maclay Widney

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The Legacy of Judge Robert Maclay Widney The Legacy of Judge Robert Maclay Widney ONE MAN’S VISION LED TO THE CREATION OF A WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY ©2015 | Designed by USC University Communications Historical photography courtesy USC University Archives and USC Digital Libraries Born in central Ohio in 1838, Widney began his move west in his teens, eventually arriving in Los Angeles in 1868. THE LEGACY OF JUDGE ROBERT MACLAY WIDNEY (1838-1929) You might rightly call Judge Robert world university — will arise. Maclay Widney the founder of the A true polymath, Widney University of Southern California. worked tirelessly for more than a More than any other individual, decade to make plans and secure Widney was responsible for the land for USC, despite threats from birth and growth of USC in the a prolonged drought and economic early days of Los Angeles. In the downturns. In early October 1880, 1870s, a time when many believed 53 students and 10 faculty members their village was just another rough- commenced classes in the campus’s and-tumble frontier town in the first building — now known as the American Wild West, Widney Widney Alumni House. instead saw unlimited potential in Widney’s dream of a university Los Angeles — and recognized the for Southern California — the first importance of higher education to private university in the state — the future of the burgeoning city. finally came true, opening the doors This, he said, is where the next of opportunity for tens of thousands great world city — and next great of Trojans for more than a century. 1 This 1884 photograph of downtown Los Angeles shows the city’s burgeoning commercial district, as well as tracks for horse-drawn streetcars, the primary mode of public trans- portation. JUDGE WIDNEY, CITY BUILDER Widney was not only the founder of Widney demonstrated the and Victorville. He created the Southern California’s first university, same dedication and tirelessness in plans used to build San Pedro but he was also a chief architect of building Los Angeles. Among his Bay’s first breakwater, laying the Los Angeles. myriad contributions to the city, he groundwork for the growth of the A Renaissance man with a lured the Southern Pacific Railroad Port of Los Angeles. He also helped rigorous intellect, Widney possessed to Los Angeles and established the form the Los Angeles County Bar unbridled ambition. He had taught city’s first horse-drawn trolley, the Association, served as president of several diverse subjects at his alma Spring and Sixth Street Railroad, the University Bank of Los Angeles mater, the College of the Pacific, which ran from the central plaza and wrote extensively on the need while simultaneously studying law. to what is today the intersection for a national currency bill. He was admitted to the bar, worked of Sixth and Figueroa streets. He When Widney died in 1929 as a mining engineer, wrote a book organized the city’s first chamber at age 90, the Los Angeles City (The Plan of Creation, published of commerce and first light and Council unanimously adopted in 1881) and experimented as an power company. A major real a resolution honoring him, inventor, earning a patent for a fruit estate developer, he co-founded memorializing him as one of the grader and separator (U.S. Patent the city of Long Beach, as well as city’s most influential pioneers and 788,618, 1905). Pacoima, San Fernando, Ontario civic leaders. 2 One thousand people — nearly a tenth of the city's population — turned out to witness the laying of the cornerstone for USC’s first structure — today’s Widney Alumni House. When USC first opened its doors in 1880, the “city” still lacked paved streets, electric lights, telephones and a reliable fire alarm system. Today, USC is home to more than 39,000 students and nearly 3,800 faculty, and is located in the heart of one of the biggest metropolises in the world. A UNIVERSITY IS BORN In the late 1870s, after more than university, and donations of labor, Before Widney’s death in a decade of persevering, Widney land and lumber poured in from 1929, his daughter Frances and secured the land for the University the community. One thousand her husband took him on an of Southern California from real people — nearly a tenth of the city's automobile tour of Los Angeles. estate partners Ozro W. Childs, population — came to witness the After spending hours traversing John G. Downey and Isaias W. laying of the cornerstone of USC’s the city, they arrived at the USC Hellman. He drafted USC’s articles first building in September 1880. A campus, now teeming with of incorporation and was elected month later, the building opened its students and faculty. Throughout president of its first board of trustees. doors to its first students. the day, Widney had said almost He also managed USC’s endowment Over the next few decades, nothing. But after seeing USC, he investment as the university’s chief USC and Los Angeles grew turned to his daughter and said, investment officer and bolstered the steadily: The city swelled from a “All my life, I have been telling endowment by donating $100,000 — village of 10,000 residents into people about the incredible future an extraordinary amount in that age. one of the nation’s 10 biggest of Los Angeles. But in my wildest Widney had inspired a deep metropolises, and USC produced dreams, I never conceived anything connection between the people many of the professionals who as wonderful as this university!” of Los Angeles and the fledgling formed the region. 5 USC President C. L. Max Nikias unveiled the statue of Judge Robert Maclay Widney in a ceremony be- fore the Widney Alumni House. Descendants of USC's found- er were present to celebrate this momen- tous event. COMMEMORATING USC’S FOUNDER On August 29, 2014, USC who presented USC President celebrated the legacy of the C. L. Max Nikias with two university’s founder at the family heirlooms: a top hat and unveiling of a sculpture of Judge cape owned and worn by Judge Widney on the University Park Widney’s brother, Joseph Widney, Campus. The sculpture was who founded USC’s medical installed at the entrance of the school in 1882 and served as the Widney Alumni House, USC’s university’s second president. first building, which now bears his Today, the statue stands as name. Among the special guests living testimony of Widney’s at the event were 10 living Widney vision in creating a dynamic global descendants and their families, university in Southern California. 6 Sculptor Chris- topher Slatoff shown working on the mold of the Judge Wid- ney statue in his art studio. CREATING A LIVING TESTIMONY: CHRISTOPHER SLATOFF Artist Christopher Slatoff is at Fuller Theological Seminary. renowned for his large-scale public He also lectures and teaches art pieces that appear throughout workshops at the Getty Center California, as well as in Asia and Getty Villa. and Europe. A passionate advocate of Slatoff studied in France and art education for underserved the United States, ultimately communities, he has established earning his Bachelor of Fine several after-school art programs Arts in sculpture from California and has worked as an artist State University, Long Beach. facilitator at Metropolitan State He teaches at Art Center College Hospital. In 1986, he received a of Design, serves as sculpture California Artist in Residence chairman of the California Art grant to work with special needs Club and is artist in residence children in public schools. 9 Widney's The sculpture of outstretched Judge Widney finger evokes stands 8.5' tall his work to bring USC into being Widney holds two sheets of paper: THE BLUE PRINT BEHIND The discreet one representing the outline of a gun university's articles and holster pays of incorporation and THE SCULPTURE tribute to Widney's one inscribed with nickname, “pistol- the words ΘEMIΣ packing judge” EΞANEΓPEΣΘAI TROIHN, ancient Greek for “the destined reign To make the Judge Widney statue, • Look closely and you’ll see • The sculpture’s outstretched of Troy” sculptor Christopher Slatoff the outline of a gun in a holster finger was inspired by Michelangelo’s created a life-size model of the partially concealed by Widney’s “Creation of Adam” fresco in the sculpture, which was transported coat — a tribute to his nickname of Sistine Chapel. The sculpture’s to the renowned Artworks the “pistol-packing judge.” extended hand evokes Widney’s Foundry in Berkeley, California. • Widney holds two sheets work to bring USC into being. At the foundry, various molds of of paper: one that reads ΘEMIΣ • “In my wildest dreams, I never “In my wildest dreams, I never conceived anything the sculpture were created and EΞANEΓPEΣΘAI TROIHN, which conceived anything as wonderful as as wonderful as this university.” then cast in bronze. After months means “the destined reign of Troy” this university.” Widney’s words of detailed refinements, the piece in ancient Greek, and one that of pride appear at the base of the was completed and carefully reads “University of Southern sculpture, etched permanently “In my wildest dreams, I never moved to USC. California,” which represents the on its plaque, a touchstone for The sculpture is conceived anything • The sculpture stands eight- university’s articles of incorporation generations of Trojans. made of a mix of as wonderful as this and-a-half feet tall, weighs more that Widney drafted. bronze and steel university.” Widney's than 1,000 pounds and is made of and weighs in at words of pride which over 1,000 pounds now appear at the a mixture of bronze and steel.
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