William Tecumseh Sherman – the name ushers fear into the hearts of some, but others view him as a great Civil War general who fought to keep the country together.
Although the debate has reached its armistice between campus administrators, faculty and state government members, some faculty feel naming a building after the University’s first president raises controversy, and the process for naming the building after Sherman stumbles in its early stages.
The state Senate passed a resolution in June 2006 requesting the LSU Board of Supervisors to consider naming an on-campus building after Sherman.
Sen. Robert Barham, R-Oak Ridge, authored Senate Resolution 130, but the resolution does not have an enforcement mechanism.
History professor Paul Hoffman, who serves as chairman of the committee in charge of naming University facilities, said a formal proposal was never made.
“There was a good deal of controversy when the resolution was written, generally negative,” Hoffman said. “This is a man with all kinds of blood on his hands.”
Hoffman said the nine-member naming committee advises Chancellor O’Keefe about the appropriateness of naming University facilities after people.
Hoffman said the chancellor approves a name, and then the proposal is sent to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
“The process is to avoid doing something embarrassing to the University,” Hoffman said. “It’s not a question of interference. It’s a question of the more eyes that look at it, there’s the less chance of a mistake.”
But word of changing the building’s name has yet to reach the Board of Supervisors.
Charles Zewe, System vice president for communications and external affairs, said the issue has not been discussed by the board.
“As far as I know, no action is either pending, being considered or under study by the LSU Board of Supervisors or any office of the LSU System in connection with any proposal to name a building after William T. Sherman,” Zewe said.
Sherman, who led his infamous “March to the Sea” to help split the Confederacy, burned much of the South and used harsh wartime military tactics to lower the South’s morale.
Sherman was also the first superintendent of Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy in Pineville, before the war.
Hoffman said Sherman was elected with some hesitation to the position because of his views on race.
He did not own slaves but was a white supremacist.
Hoffman said that while debate on the issue continues, the proposal does not technically exist.
“From the point of view of University administrators, unless it’s on paper, it doesn’t exist,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said the “Old South attitude” of some University administrators and legislators has prevented the writing of a formal proposal.
“There’s the Southern point of view that says this guy did terrible things to the South, and some people might go as far as to say what the army did to the South might be considered war crimes,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said Sherman fought for the Union because he was against succession.
“His view was: the South is out of their minds if they thought Northerners thought they would let the South be run by anybody but the Union due to the use and control of the Mississippi River,” Hoffman said. “He believed in the Union and made it clear if Louisiana seceded, he more than likely would leave.”
But Hoffman said Sherman helped the University during Reconstruction by emphasizing the school’s military program.
Hoffman said Northern legislators passed laws that prevented Southerners from having weapons and military equipment, but Sherman made sure the cadets had rifles.
“He worked with then-President Boyd to ensure that LSU got rifles for the cadets to drill with and made sure government documents got to LSU for the library,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said Sherman’s harsh policies against Southerners were understandable for the time.
Jim Wharton, chemistry professor and former chancellor, said the issue is not new.
“The University was considering naming a building after Sherman in the 1970s,” said Wharton, who was chancellor from 1981 to 1989. “Sherman had a relationship with LSU, and some people think the relationship was very, very positive, but I do not.”
But Hoffman said most former University presidents have facilities named after them, and some people opposed to the naming want to be politically correct, but that has not always been the case.
Hoffman said former President Troy Middleton, from whom Middleton Library gets its name, opposed desegregation.
Hoffman said a more accurate naming system should be enforced by the University.
“It’s important there be a clear process and procedure that everyone understands and follows so it’s clear why things are being done, and it doesn’t just happen,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman said that with the recent donations to the Forever LSU campaign, some University faculty wonder how donations will affect the naming of some buildings.
“In some cases, it’s being suggested, give us 10 million, and we’ll name a building after you,” Hoffman said. “It isn’t an adequate procedure.”
Michael Ruffner, vice chancellor for communication and university relations, said the University’s naming process has changed over the years.
“Keep in mind that the criteria for which buildings are named has changed over the years, and we can’t do anything about what’s happened in the past; but I can assure you there is a very concrete process for naming buildings,” Ruffner said.
Ruffner said the University is putting together guidelines for all the colleges and academic units to follow.
The dialogue over a possible building named for Sherman has raised concerns, but little has come from the stir of opinions.
“Sherman Hall would be so controversial; it’s almost out of the question now,” Hoffman said. “But if it was ever formally proposed, it’s such a controversial matter, I don’t know what would happen.”
—–Contact Elizabeth Miller [email protected]