Reward Increased for Information on WT Sculpture Vandalism

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — The reward has been doubled for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for damage to a West Texas A&M University sculpture.

The WT Police Department is seeking tips to help locate suspects in an act of vandalism. Around Oct. 30, the newly installed bronze sculpture of poet Robert Frost in front of Cornette Library was seriously damaged when one or more vandals broke off the leg of Frost’s writing desk.

A reward of $1,000 is now available, following an additional donation by the Cornette family. The sculpture was dedicated in honor of former WT President James P. and Mary Elizabeth Cornette in October.

“Members of our family traveled from as far as Washington, D.C.; Iowa; and other areas of the country to attend the dedication of this sculpture and honor my grandparents,” said Betsy Cornette, disaster program manager for the Panhandle Plains chapter of the American Red Cross in Amarillo. “This news was very upsetting for our family, and if we can develop any leads towards stopping any further incidents like this, we are happy to do so.”

The sculpture soon will be repaired, and cameras will be installed around Cornette Library to provide added security for the sculpture and others that may be added in the courtyard in the future.

“We’re hoping anyone who saw the vandalism or have heard who might have perpetrated it will come forward,” said UPD Assistant Chief Robert Byrd. “It’s such a senseless, stupid act; that’s the disappointing aspect.”

Tips may be reported to 806-651-2300 or to Amarillo Crime Stoppers at 806-374-4400 or amapolice.org.

The Frost sculpture is the work of George W. Lundeen of Loveland, Colorado, whose works—including several other depictions of Frost—adorn university campuses and more nationwide.

The sculpture was purchased through a consortium that included James L. and Carolyn C. Cornette and the Texas Poets’ Corner, a collection of rare books, art and antique furnishings donated by the late Jenny Lind Porter and husband Lawrence E. Scott. Porter, the former poet laureate of Texas and a former WT professor of English, bequeathed the Texas Poets’ Corner a $2.8 million estate gift, a portion of which was used to create a permanent acquisition fund for art, rare books and more.

The Texas Poets’ Corner is among the distinctive academic resources and programs for students that are laid out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021 — has raised more than $110 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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