Dorothy Morris | Sharp Museum | SIU

“Dorothy Morris”

Cast Bronze Statue

Dorthy Morris Garden

Sharp Museum Faner Hall

This statue of Dorothy Morris, wife of Dr. Delyte Morris, President of Southern Illinois University from 1948 to 1970. Mrs. Morris is regarded equally as important in the history of Southern Illinois University. She was an honorary member of the SIU Foundation Board of Directors and received the first university-wide honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1988. Among her numerous awards is the SIU Distinguished Service Award.

Her statue stands at the entrance walkway overlooking the Kumakura Garden located between the end of Faner and the Old Baptist Foundation building. This Japanese garden, complete with waterfall, teahouse and Koi pond was inspired by the University’s Nakajo campus in Japan which operated from 1988-2006. The garden was named after the mayor of Nakajo, Nobuo Kumakura.

Erin Palmer

This cast statue of Dorothy Morris was created by Erin L. Palmer, an Associate Professor in Painting and Drawing in the School of Art and Design here at SIUC. She received her MFA from Yale School of Art in 1993. Her work is primarily figurative from direct observation and is included in a number of private collections.