In an era where online social media dominates nearly everyone’s attention, there is a unique communication tool used on Gonzaga University's campus.
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This piece of concrete was not intended to be a communication board, however. If stories hold true, “The Wall” began as a thin fence in the 1960s to keep passers by from walking through the lawn or the garden near Desmet Hall. Later on, employees and students used concrete donated by a local company to build what slightly resembles the current version of “The Wall.”
Over the years, the thousands of messages shared among the campus community are neither gone nor forgotten. These messages are never sanded away; therefore, new messages add layer upon layer of paint to “The Wall.” “The Wall” stands as a symbol of how traditional methods of communication - though sometimes used in nontraditional ways - still have a place in building community.
Over the years, the thousands of messages shared among the campus community are neither gone nor forgotten. These messages are never sanded away; therefore, new messages add layer upon layer of paint to “The Wall.” “The Wall” stands as a symbol of how traditional methods of communication - though sometimes used in nontraditional ways - still have a place in building community.
Creator's note: We would like to thank interviewees Anna and Erik, and Katie for her web-design help.