By Rebecca Martelotti
Assistant Features Editor
- LIU Post campus – originally named C.W. Post – opened in 1955 with the enrollment of 121 students. The university held classes in garages, barns, horse stables, and greenhouses before the university was able to raise enough funds to construct academic buildings.
- LIU Post has 47 building, 10 residence halls, and three historic man- sions sprawled out over 307 acres.
- The campus was purchased for $200,000 from the heiress to the Post cereal fortune, Marjorie Merriweather Post.
- The campus motto is “Mens Regnum bona possidet,” a Latin phrase, which translates, “A keen mind possesses a kingdom.”
- The Pioneers was a team name picked by the students who first at- tended the school. These students chose the name because the school was opened during the World War II era, which was a risk. The stu- dents also created campus rules and traditions on their own, and felt like they would be the Pioneers of the university.
- There is a good luck-charm for students, located outside of Pell Hall and the Life Science building, called the Exam Touch Stone. The myth goes that students who touch the stone, will ace their exams.
- Over the years, guest speakers and honorary degree recipients have included Nelson Rockefeller, Hillary Clinton, Bill Cosby, B.F. Skin- ner, Harry Chapin, General Douglas McArthur, Billy Joel, among oth- ers.
- Hillwood Commons was a country retreat where the friends and fam- ily of Marjorie Merriweather Post stayed. They came to the property to play tennis, ride horses, swim, and play golf. The property was also used to host many social and charity events when owned by the Post family.
- Charles William Post, Marjorie’s father, was a cereal tycoon who founded the Post Cereal Company in 1895. He is also credited with being the first person to use print advertising to promote interest in his products. Mr. Post was one of the most successful businessmen of his era.
- Marjorie put the estate up for sale in 1947, and the university official- ly purchased the property in 1951. At this time, the campus was called the Brookville Extension of Long Island University. The campus did not have enough students to sustain itself, so after the President (Tristram Walker Metcalfe) died in February 1952, the new President (Admiral Richard Conolly) decided to run ads to spread news about the campus. The Post Cereal Company was still very well known dur- ing this time. The university got permission from Marjorie to name the campus after her father, believing that his name would allow the school to get public attention. Since he always used the name C.W. Post in business the campus was called C.W. Post College.
The doll house located on Riggs lawn.
Be First to Comment