A statue of Minerva is indeed alive and well and living in the lobby of the
Science/Tech library at the University at Albany.  But unless it was
spirited away from SUNY Geneseo before 1906, this is a case of mistaken
identity.

Source: Birr, Kendall A.  _A Tradition of Excellence: The Sesquicentennial
History of the University at Albany, State University of New York, 1844 to
1994_.  Virginia Beach, VA: Donning, 1994.
Caption: "The Willett Street building in ruins after a fire on January 9,
1906.  Charles Wurthman, the janitor, saved the statue of Minerva, but
otherwise all records and facilities of the College were lost.  The fire
led to construction of the first buildings on a new campus between Western
and Washington avenues" (48).

The Minerva I am referring to has indeed traveled far, from the lobby of
Draper Hall at the downtown campus to the campus library at the uptown
campus, with at least one day trip to the women's restroom on the second or
third floor of Richardson Hall in the late 1950s.  But I doubt that she was
ever kidnapped from Geneseo.

Terry Kerwin Lehr
SUNY Albany, Class of 1960

At 07:34 AM 4/21/04 -0400, you wrote:
>I believe it is the Minerva that now stands in the lobby of SUNY-Albany's
>newest building, the Science/Technbology Building. Saw it there two weeks ago.
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 04/15/04 10:30AM >>>
>I apologize if this is not the correct approach for my inquiry, but I have
>been unable to find any online references on this item.
>
>First, I live in Owings Mills Maryland, but I was raised in New York
>State.  I graduated Lindenhurst Senior High School in 1973, and graduated
>SUNY at Geneseo in 1980.  Currently I work as an Information Technology -
>Systems Analyst Tech Advisor for the Social Security Administration at
>their headquarters in Woodlawn MD.
>
>While at Geneseo I became interested in the history of the College.  I
>found references to a statue of the Roman Goddess Minerva that was a
>prominent fixture in the Normal School's Library.  Later on I found
>references that the statue was moved to the New York Capital Building in
>Albany.
>
>I never could find out why this glorious statue was moved.  Was it loaned
>to New York State?  Was it given?  If it was loaned, why was it not given
>back to the College?  As a student I did as much research as I could, but
>back then we did not have access to online information datastores like we
>do today.  Time passed for me and I completely forgot about this statue.
>
>A few weeks ago I was reading about Geneseo on the internet and Minerva
>came back to my thoughts.  What did happen?  Where is she now?
>
>I attempted to do as much as I could online, but I kept hitting blank
>walls.  Then this morning I found this list and I thought that maybe one
>of the members on here may have some pointers for me.  Ideas of where I
>can search (without going to Geneseo, NY).
>
>If anyone does have any ideas on how I should continue my search, I would
>like to hear your advice.  If anyone has knowledge of this statue, I would
>appreciate hearing it.  For me it's been a mystery.  A mystery that I
>would like to solve one day.
>
>I thank you all for the time you took to read my inquiry.  If there is any
>research I could do for any of you here in Maryland, please let me know.
>I would be glad to help out where I could as my time allows.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Ken Noto
>31 Blue Sky Drive
>Owings Mills MD 21117
>
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