EC 10/12 free write
Fountains
In preparation for the cross-town rivalry game, me and the rest of my freshmen class in the drumline were assigned a set of tasks to complete. One of these items instructed us to visit every fountain on campus and take a group photo with it. To my surprise there was an unreasonable amount of fountains on campus; more than 30 in total. This trip around campus got me thinking about the symbolism fountains and motivated me to learn more about what made them so ubiquitous on our campus. For this blog post I will talk about about fountains.
In times of ancient greece, fountains served a much more functional purpose, allowing people to easily access water from nearby aqueducts for drinking washing and bathing. There was definitely a decorative element to these fixtures; however, they actually filled a need. Later, as indoor plumbing was introduced, the need for these types of fountains decreased, relegated now to something now much more ornamental. In developing countries where fetching clean water can be a necessary component of daily life, pumps and wells still serve an extremely functional purpose.
This campus was built over the course of over 120+ years, so it wouldn’t be logical to think that there would be one definitive reason that we have so many fountains. However, I personally believe that these fountains serve as status symbols for the university; highlighting the wealth and class that has been imbued into this university over the years. No two areas of campus are exactly the same, and so in kind these fountains are all unique in style and size. They blend in with the aesthetic of the surrounding area and help to add an accent of style. An example of this is the fountain by the law center and hoffman hall. What otherwise would have been a boring circle of benches is transformed into a dynamic fixture by the addition of a huge tower of gushing water.
Fountains are entrancing because they represent something infinite and unknown; something constant and mesmerizing. We live in a world hallmarked by quickly changing industries, fast-changing lives and constant disruption.The soft gurgle of the fountain can comfort us and serve as a reminder to not take life for granted.
Next time you walk around campus, notice the fountains, read the plaques; try to enjoy the small beauties that life has to offer.
I clearly haven't explored campus enough because I think I've only seen like 2 fountains: the main one at campus center and the one by the business and law schools. It was interesting to hear about the history behind fountains and your own interpretation for why there are so many on campus. I'll definitely take your advice.
ReplyDeleteI definitely can see how the fountains can be a status symbol for USC. The appearance of the campus is something USC prides itself in. That is cool you go to explore the beauty of the campus a little more!
ReplyDeleteWow, I never realized there were so many fountains on campus. The history behind is also very interesting and this post defiantly wants to make me explore campus more. Thanks for sharing!
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