LBJ statue returns to campus

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
November 28, 2007

The statue of Lyndon Baines Johnson--the university’s most distinguished alumnus--has returned to its prominent central-campus location on the Quad at Texas State University-San Marcos.

The LBJ statue was removed from campus in October to be fitted with a new and improved granite pedestal. The sculpture depicts a young LBJ as he may have appeared while a student at Texas State, then known as Southwest Texas State Teachers College. Johnson graduated from Texas State in 1930.

“The LBJ Statue was re-installed on campus on Tuesday, Nov. 20 and was placed on a new, higher pedestal which gives it a greater sense of importance and prominence on the campus,” said Joanna Smith, vice president for Student Affairs. “The original placement of the statue was to give the effect of walking to class with the students since it depicts LBJ as a student; however, due to some acts of vandalism, we believed the true significance of the statue was getting lost so the decision was made to give it an air of importance to the campus with the higher pedestal.”

Unveiled Sept, 14, 2006, the statue was commissioned by the Associated Student Government at Texas State. The ASG submitted its proposal for the statue to the university administration during the 2004-05 academic year. After the Student Service Fee Advisory Committee unanimously agreed to allocate funds for the statue, the Texas State University System Board of Regents authorized the project in August 2005.

It is the work of acclaimed sculptor Lawrence Ludtke of Houston. Ludtke, who was a fellow in the National Sculpture Society and a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of British Sculptors, died earlier this year.

Texas State remains the only university in Texas to have graduated a United States president or vice president.