William the Silent 2

A bronze statue of William the Silent (also known as Willie the Silent and Still Bill) was installed in 1928 on the Voorhees Mall section of Rutgers... more

by Allen Beatty

Title

William the Silent 2

Artist

Allen Beatty

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

A bronze statue of William the Silent (also known as Willie the Silent and Still Bill) was installed in 1928 on the Voorhees Mall section of Rutgers University's College Avenue Campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is located along Seminary Place, a street at the western end of the Voorhees Mall, and is near several academic buildings, including the university's Graduate School of Education, Van Dyke Hall, and Milledoler Hall.
The statue was donated to Rutgers by Dr. Fenton B. Turck to commemorate the university's Dutch heritage. Turck, with the assistance of railroad executive and Rutgers alumnus Leonor F. Loree, collaborated to arrange the anonymous donation of the statue through the Holland Society of New York. It is a statue of William I, Prince of Orange (1533-1584), an early leader of the Dutch revolt against Habsburg Spain which led to the independence of the Netherlands in 1648. The statue has continued to be included in student life as the Voorhees Mall was used as the site of student and community events, including graduation ceremonies, pep rallies, festivals, and protests. Occasionally, the statue is a target of vandalism in an ongoing historical rivalry between students of Rutgers and Princeton University. Student tradition at Rutgers alleges that the statue will whistle should a female virgin happen to pass by. The statue was restored in 2006 in an effort funded by alumni donations.

Uploaded

August 13th, 2014