Chapel Wall is Finished, Rainville Steps Down

Chapel Wall is Finished, Rainville Steps Down

University officials announce ongoing museum developments and commitment to campus history

(Chapel sanctuary following renovations. Source: W&L)

Following the controversial removal of four plaques this summer, including the replacement of Traveller’s headstone, the W&L Board of Trustees reaffirmed their commitment to “Preserving and Teaching Washington and Lee's History” in an email last week.

Days later, President William Dudley announced that Lynn Rainville has transitioned from her role as director of Institutional History and Museums, and will remain on campus as a professor of anthropology.

In an August 25, 2023 announcement to the W&L community, Rector Mike McAlevey announced “that the construction of a partition on the stage of the chapel auditorium is complete, creating two adjoined, publicly accessible spaces.” 

The long-contested alterations to Lee Chapel, National Historic Landmark, were announced over two years ago and began this summer.

A video of the newly-renovated chapel can be seen here. (CLICK HERE to see the chapel before renovations.)

“While University Chapel reopens this fall,” McAlevey continued, “work on museum spaces, including the development and installation of new exhibitions within the Chapel Galleries, is ongoing.”

Likewise, university officials have yet to replace the plaque commemorating Traveller that was removed from the Lee House stables, despite noting over a month ago that replacement would occur “in the near future.”

Of the twenty plaques removed from Lee Chapel beginning in 2021, only three have been reinstalled.

It remains unclear how many of the remaining plaques will be installed in the chapel museum, though a Columns post from last summer stated that the Liberty Hall Volunteers plaque will be placed adjacent to the Recumbent Statue, while a Columns post from this summer notes that the four plaques removed from campus this summer “are being installed along with other historically significant plaques in a new exhibit, located in University Chapel[.]”

“Most of the other plaques,” the 2022 Columns post continued, “will be moved to the galleries in the building or to the new institutional history museum, where they can be displayed with more historical context.”

In his announcement, McAlevey noted that a working group of trustees, faculty, and alumni had selected the firms Quinn Evans and Gallagher and Associates to assist with the new museum of institutional history.

The working group, McAlevey continued, “will solicit feedback from external historians and W&L community members beginning in early 2024. We have already received significant gift commitments to support the Museum, and we are finalizing the site selection on campus so we may begin specific plans and renderings for the building and related fundraising.”

The museum was removed from W&L’s master plan in Spring 2022 amid local pushback. It is now the last of eight Initiatives listed on the W&L Strategic Plan.

“When complete,” McAlevey continued, “our museum spaces, including the Chapel Galleries, the Museum, and other spaces, will include exhibits about the contributions of George Washington and Robert E. Lee to the institution; the history, evolution and uses of campus buildings; artifacts…and many other topics, including notable contributions of alumni, students, staff, workers, administrators and benefactors all of whom have contributed to making Washington and Lee the esteemed university that it is today.”

It is unclear whether these goals will be delayed by the change in museum leadership. 

According to Dudley’s email, Rainville has spent her four years as the inaugural director of institutional history building “an outstanding program based on rigorous research and community engagement.”

(Lynn Rainville standing in front of the Liberty Hall Ruins, Columns 2022)

“She has successfully incorporated institutional history and museums into new areas of the curriculum and incorporated W&L's history into orientation programs for new students and employees[,]” Dudley continued.

Rainville, who will now “supervis[e] student projects during the upcoming term…has mentored dozens of students, collected oral histories, developed historical resources like campus walking tours, and laid essential groundwork for the forthcoming museum of institutional history.”

“Plans regarding the search for Lynn's successor will be announced later this year[,]” Dudley concluded.  

Dudley also announced the upcoming retirement of Sidney Evans, who has spent the last 12 of her 23 years at W&L as vice president of student affairs and dean of students.

“Provost Lena Hill will chair the search for Sidney's successor,” Dudley said.

(Sidney Evans)