A Byrd in Full Plumage

Four years ago, the estate of Sterling Byrd, a son of Harry C. "Curly" Byrd, bequeathed to University Archives 54 boxes of materials that capture the life

The sketch that appears on Byrd's plaque in the state's Athletic Hall of Fame

and times of the man who came to Maryland in 1905 as a student at the Maryland Agriculture College and rose to become its president, presiding over the university's post-World War II building boom and enhancing its reputation.

Along the way, he served as football player, coach, teacher, a visionary and a dreamer with political aspirations. Anne Turkos, university archivist, has been the guiding force in turning box upon box of items into an exhibition, "From Vision to Reality: The Life and Career of Harry Clifton Byrd," which will be on view in the Maryland Room Gallery of Hornbake Library from September 6 through December 20 (except Thanksgiving Day), weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. Fans attending games at the namesake Byrd Stadium are encouraged to make a stop at the exhibition, says Turkos."Lots of alumni coming back to campus will remember Dr. Byrd," even though he resigned in 1954 as president to launch an unsuccessful bid for governor. Byrd died on Oct. 2, 1970, at age 81.

Turkos believes the treasure trove of material gleaned from the boxes will reveal the man in full, from semi-pro baseball player for the San Francisco Seals to civic- minded citizen to perennial candidate. Among the more colorful items in the exhibition are the many hats he wore, literally, as Supreme Governor of the Moose, a Tall Cedar and a Shriner. His first job at Maryland was as football coach and instructor in English in 1913. Within seven years, he was instrumental in the consolidation of the Maryland Agricultural College with the Baltimore schools to form the University of Maryland in 1920. The university owes to him the naming of the student newspaper, The Diamondback, and the adoption of the terrapin as the school mascot.

During his 18 years as president (1936-54), Byrd presided over the building of Memorial Chapel, Cole Field House and the Student Union. He introduced the American Studies Program and gained increasing financial support from both state and federal governments. "He would get people out of bed in the middle of the night if he had an idea," says Turkos. In spite of his charismatic presence (which could be likened to Bill Clinton, says Turkos), it did not translate into success for him politically.

The Harry C. "Curly" Byrd era at Maryland spanned 49 years from his days as a student-athlete to his 18-year presidency.

Following his unsuccessful bid for governor against Theodore McKeldin, he lost his bid for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964 and again in 1966.

The exhibition's photographs, books, campaign materials, keys to the city, the sterling silver George V desk caddy and more reveal facets of the man's life that is so closely interwoven with the life of the university.   --DB

Community Spirit Soars Through Dance, Music

The Hallelujah Project was conceived by Takoma Park-based Liz Lerman Dance Exchange as a series of community-based dances, developed in three- to four-week workshops, that tapped into the life of each place and featured community members as integral dancers in the work.

The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange returns to Maryland after a three-year national tour of the Halleluja Project.

The performances featured Mexican Folklorico dancers and a Native American spiritual leader from Tucson; Buddhist dancers and religious leaders from Los Angeles; renowned gospel composer Rudy Hawkins, hip-hop dancers and senior showgirls from Detroit; break-dancers and professional dancers from North Carolina; teenage Asian-American Hmong dancers from Minneapolis; the Chrysalis Dance Company, University Ensemble Cast, and SISTERS Network from Houston; dogs from Virginia, and many other professional and emerging performers from across the nation in surprising ensembles.

Lerman describes the Hallelujah Project as "an incredible journey for the Dance Exchange. Working in 15 communities with over 100 partners of all kinds--from a monastery to a diner and a huge range of arts groups--we discovered the extraordinary essence of art in ordinary things. I'm thrilled we were able to bring it home for these performances at the Smith Center."

Also featured was the regional premiere of "Uneasy Dances," a new work created and choreographed by Lerman and the Dance Exchange that was commissioned by the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center for its 2002 American Composers Festival. The work was described by The New York Times as, "A darkly glinting feast."

The final events began in July with a weeklong Teen Summer Institute, an immersion experience into the professional disciplines of dance, led by company members of the Dance Exchange. Participants included Dance Exchanges' own Teen Exchange members, area teen dancers, and teens who participated in Hallelujah projects across the country.

An outdoor "Dog Dance" on the lawn in front of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center brought people and their dogs together with dancers and flying Frisbees(R) for what was billed a "group master-and-pet terpsichorean experience." At the "Art and Faith Convening," religious leaders and lay people discussed ties between creativity and spirituality. The discussion groups wrapped up with a journalists' and critics' forum.

Susie Farr, executive director of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center says, "Community involvement is very much a part of Liz's work and speaks directly to the mission of the center, which is about creating opportunities for performance, learning and community. "

To which local audiences can only say, "Hallelujah!"   --CC

For Aspiring Musicians, Summer Study at Maryland

For 106 young musicians who turned up at the University of Maryland last June, the dream was not to become an "American Idol," as on the Fox television network, but to become great players of Mendelssohn, Debussy, Bartok and Bruckner.

The National Orchestral Institute, an intensive summer program for musicians age 18 to 28, capped its 15th year with a June 22 performance conducted by the internationally renowned Stanislaw Skrowaczewski.

The School of Music-sponsored program offers young musicians, who come from throughout the United States and abroad, the chance to work with some of the nation's top orchestral performers and scholars, including conductors Michael Stern and Gerard Schwarz. "We select the very best students from among the finest music schools and conservatories in the country," says James Ross, director of orchestral activities for the School of Music. "There is so much talent out there, it's incredibly exciting."

NOI's mission is to provide a bridge between collegiate musical training and professional musicianship.  --DC