“Prepare for the Complete Living.”
Authored by Herbert Spencer, the quote has adorned the UW College of Arts and Science building since it was constructed on campus.
“Spencer was fascinated by this idea of evolution and more accurately perfecting… humanity,” said Adam Blackler, an Assitant Professor in the Department of History studying modern German history, specifically German colonialism in Africa and holocaust studies.
Known by history as a late 19th-century philosopher inspired by his own interpretation of Charles Darwin’s work, Spencer would go on to coin the phrase, “survival of the fittest.”
“This phrase would later become the basis for some of the worst elements that came to define the 20th century,” said Blackler. “His support of eugenics and his belief that there was a possibility of a superior race over another was not something that was hidden.”
Eugenics movements throughout history have typically been connected to controversial causes and followers, with Herbert Spencer being no exception.
“[This belief] upheld and supported some of the worst ideas that no one wants to be associated with like the Third Reich, Benito Mussolini fascist state and etc,” said Blackler
This eugenics quote is on top of the building that is home to students and faculty of international origin. Despite this, the quote goes mostly unnoticed. The author of this quote, however, has not gone unnoticed by all in the UW community over the past century since its inscription in stone.
As in 2021, ASUW Director of Governmental and Community Affairs, Alison Brown, later named ASUW President in 2022 for the ASUW 110th administration, worked with campus partners on the removal of this very quote after being informed of the author’s eugenics connection in a WWII History class.
Unfortunately, the project seemed to lose momentum with the departure of former Arts and Science Dean Doctor Camellia Okpodu during the summer of 2022.
“Dean Okupdo at the time was certainly very open to the idea of the removal of the quote pending cost and other considerations,” said the ASUW President and student of Arts and Science Brown. “It is certainly something I think we are gonna look at again in the coming months.”
Dr. Scott Turpin, a music professor at the University of Wyoming, was named Interim Dean in the fall of this year in Okupdo’s absence.
“I think that in a university setting, it’s always healthy to have a discussion about the university and what it stands for through images or phrases used as part of that institution,” Interim Dean Turpin said. “I would certainly be willing to have a discussion and form a committee that looks more deeply into the quote.”
“There’s always two sides to every discussion so it could be a heated discussion on either side.”
When it comes to the replacement of the College of Arts and Science inscribed facilities quote, the students of the liberal science college did not disappoint in their suggested responses.
As quoted replacement suggestions have varied from individuals like Bobby Kennedy, Shakespeare, Dr. King Jr., Lil Wayne, Cardi B, and the most popular and frequent response being various quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien.
“I would love to see a quote from Sophie Scholl, who was one of the early members of the white rose organization that rose up against the Nazis,” said Blackler weighing in his own personal opinion for the first time into the conversation. “The memory and what she stood for, looking toward the future, looking toward prosperity, focusing on education, standing up against authoritarian rule, standing up against those that ultimately sought to murder people because of who they were.”
“I think those are the kinds of lessons that would speak well for something like the College of Arts and Sciences building.”
