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Madison Lane Sidewalk Restoration, Four Decades in the Making

Contributed by Christopher H. Schroder (Col ’78) and Bro. Gilbert E. Butler (Col ‘75)

In the fall of 1976, standing in the pouring rain during last hours of rush, as the Hall’s brothers stood in the mud and shook hands with first-year students in the traditional midnight sendoff before Bid Sunday, Christopher H. Schroder (Col ’78) looked at the narrow, cracked sidewalk and vowed to do something about it. In August 1977, G. Sheldon Taylor (Engr ’78) hired a crew to break up the old walkway and haul it away. Applying his skill from a bricklaying business he started in high school, Schroder spent a week (the week Elvis Presley died) mixing mortar and laying a new wider, elevated sidewalk. J. Adam Bear, III (Col ’79) supplied one genuine 19th century Monticello brick (his father James A. Bear, Jr. (Col ’43) was executive director of Monticello) which was laid in the middle of the walk. To this day, Schroder can point out the brick – something most people cannot do.

Over the decades, during his periodic visits, Schroder kept an eye on the condition of the walk and grew increasingly concerned about the significant degrading of the mortar that would eventually require repointing. By 2021, Schroder was determined to get going on this project and consulted with a brick mason where it was determined that more than $2,000 would be needed to preserve and repair the walkway. With this goal in mind, Schroder filmed a fundraising video and created a GoFundMe Campaign that raised $4,450 —all from 1970s brothers (below) — within a few days.

The funds were transferred to the Hall Alumni Association and the work was completed before the 160th alumni reunion in April 2022. The goal is to replace the concrete front (Chancellor St) sidewalk using the excess funds from the fundraiser. The photos show the poor condition of the walk (then more than 44 years old), work being done on it, and the final result.

Being the modest person he is, not many know about Schroder’s efforts to restore the walkway. May thanks to you, Chris, for your generosity and devotion to St. Anthony Hall.

Images of newly repointed St. Anthony Hall walkway
Images of sidewalk taken in 1978, 2021, and 2022

Thank you to the campaign donors!

  • Anonymous
  • J. Adam Bear, III (Col ’79)
  • Ralph P. Black, III (Col ’77)
  • Henry M. Blue (Col ’78)
  • Walter W. Brewster, Jr (Col ’77)
  • Gilbert E Butler, Jr (Col ’75)
  • Don W. Dennard (Com ’77)
  • John S. Dryman (Col ’74)
  • Ross B George (Com ’76)
  • John B. Grenier (Col ’78)
  • W. Bolling Izard, Jr (Col ’79)
  • John T W Hawkins (Col ’76)
  • William L. Kitchel, III (Col ’81)
  • Irenee duP May, Jr (Col ’78)
  • Richard F. Mulligan, Jr (Col ’80)
  • Christopher H. Schroder (Col ’78)
  • William T. Sherman (Com ’76)
  • D. French Slaughter, III (Col ’77)
  • G. Sheldon Taylor (Engr ’78)
  • Schuyler M. Tilney (Com ’78)
  • Granville G. Valentine, III (Col ’77)
  • Henry C. West (Col ’78)