Inside November 4, 2003's Issue

Cactus garden honors late professor� Dr. Melvin Perry

By Julianna Hunt
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Staff Writer

As Rome campus students walk back and forth to their classes, they may notice a cactus garden located in the grassy area close to the end of the F-Building. This cactus garden serves as a memorial to Dr. Melvin Perry, a former professor of psychology at Georgia Highlands College, who passed away in January 2001.

The idea for the memorial came not long after Perry's passing. It was decided that a cactus garden would be the most appropriate way to honor Perry because of his great love of the Southwest and New Mexico. Dr. Alberta Johnson, professor of psychology, stated that a cactus garden would be representative of the place that he loved so much.

Construction of the garden began about two years ago and continues today. The garden contains cacti from Arizona and has recently had a scalloped concrete border placed around it along with about 900 pounds of sand.

The cacti were planted by Johnson and Sheila McCoy, professor of foreign language and English. Students from Volunteer Services weeded, filled with sand, and placed a border around the garden. Amanda Mays, coordinator for volunteer services, said that monthly maintenance of the garden began in October.

According to Johnson, there has been no official ceremony to commemorate the garden, but when it is finished, she would like to hold a ceremony including the Perry family. At the ceremony a plaque will be dedicated to Perry that is engraved with one of Perry's quotes:�Students who only think in black and white don't use their gray matter.�

When all the work is finished, Johnson says she hopes the garden is a place where students can go to reflect and think because Perry was a reflective person and it would only seem fitting that the garden be used in that manner.

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