Controversy over MSU clock tower

By Amy Howell
Staff Writer

The clock on top of Maxwell Student Union has recently been the center of controversy concerning the Roman numeral four on the clock face.
The new clock completed last year over the MSU/ Mariott building has two hands and 12 Roman numerals and serves as a wonderful reminder when students are running late for class. But how many students actually look at the numbers on the clock?
Most people have accustomed themselves to the location of numbers on the face of a standard clock. Others simply pay attention to which direction the hands are pointing. But those who take a closer look at the timepiece will notice something a little strange.
The number four on the face of the clock appears as IIII rather than the commonly used IV.
What? A million dollar mistake?
Not according to school officials.
When questioned about the alleged mistake, Harry Keim, vice president of Business and Finance, said, “The four I’s are politically correct. It’s the Gothic way
of doing it.”
Dave Groseclose, senior director for facilities, said, “We were bombarded with questions about the four I’s.”
Even though the numbering that appears on the clock is historically accepted, students and faculty members who have noticed the difference believe it to be a mistake.
Groseclose said that in retrospect, he wishes that he would have gotten a closer look at the sample face and chosen the more familiar IV.
“It’s not incorrect, but it’s just not what people are used to seeing,” Groseclose said.
Since putting in the clock, the contractor hired by GC&SU has gone out of business, according to Keim. He added that during the course of the college’s dealings with the contractor, problems arose more than once.
Keim said someone had similar problems with the same contractor in Macon.
“Maybe he was being facetious,” said Keim. “I think he got in over his head.”
So, if you notice the historically accurate, awkward, four on the new clock, good eye. If you haven’t, then check it out and chalk it up to a contractor who may still be saying, “Made you look.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 15 2002. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry