Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net
Artist: Boris Blai
Johnnie Ring
Boris Blai,
1958 (installed 1964)
* Statue of and tribute to Johnnie Ring
* small
standing person
wearing a hat,
Bible,
sword
* Also listed as "Johnny Ring" including on maps distributed by the University.
* inscription:
"Johnnie Ring was the youth whose example in life and heroism in death
provided inspiration that led to the founding of Temple
University. In the war between the states he was personal
orderly to Captain Russell H. Conwell of the 46th Massachusetts
Infantry. The moving forces of his life at that time were his
religious faith and his devotion to Captain Conwell. When a surprise
Confederate attack routed Union troops, it was Johnnie Ring who
raced across a flaming bridge and through enemy gunfire to
retrieve from his commander's tent the ceremonial sword presented
to the Captain by the city of Springfield. He brought back the
sword, but he died that night of his burns as Conwell knelt by his
cot in prayer. The incident turned Conwell to the ministry as a life
work and later to the founding of Temple University. He vowed
to live a life for Johnnie Ring as well as for himself. Eight hours
of work a day for Johnnie, eight hours of work for his own.
Except for Johnnie Ring, Conwell would never have told America the
story of the acres of diamonds, nor would he have built the
University that enabled multitudes of young men and women to
realize the promise of education."
-Russell Conwell Cooney
A lad who didn't die
1861-1958
* West side of Beasley' Walk, North of Polett Walk.
* 39.982575,-75.156525 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* Exhibits: Religious,
War
Russell Conwell
Boris Blai,
1968
* Bust of Russell Conwell
* big
head
* Conwell and his wife, Sarah S. Conwell, are buried behind the sculpture. The waterfall in the background of the third picture was added in 2017.
* The waterfall is part of the O'Connor Plaza Fountain
* inscription:
Russell H. Conwell, Founder of Temple University, 1843-1925
* Conwell's burial site.
Lower Northwest corner of Founder's Garden.
Liacouras and Polett Walks.
* 39.981350,-75.155700 [map] [nearby]
* On the Temple Campus tour
* See also:
+findagrave.com entry for this piece
+wikipedia.org's Russell Conwell page
+sikora-wa.com page for their Founder's Garden reimagining
