Minerva

Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and protection, has been a powerful presence at Geneseo over the years. She is an apt symbol for a library and college dedicated to providing students with the best undergraduate education possible.

A Little Background

The first Minerva statue arrived in Geneseo in 1910, at a time when many normal (i.e., teacher training) schools in New York state and elsewhere were acquiring similar statues. Ours occupied a prominent place at the upper entrance of the campus’ only building at the time, “Old Main”. It was later moved to the library, on the ground floor, due to concerns over its weight on a weakening floor.

The move was a success. Minerva seemed at home in the library, and became its unofficial mascot. A regular library column in the student newspaper, the Lamron, frequently invoked the goddess’ “voice”. Many a student rendezvous began with the words, “Meet me at Minnie”.

Fast-Forward to the Present

In the early 1950s, Geneseo’s Minerva statue disappeared. This website tells the story of the efforts, begun in 2004, to replace the statue, reinstall it in the library, and re-establish its symbolic power.