Window to Hope’s History: Ren Faire

The dedication of the Van Wylen Library on April 21, 1988, wasn’t just an event, but an occasion, as reflected by the pair of equestrians on College Avenue. The costuming was in keeping with the day’s Renaissance theme, a nod to the building — eagerly awaited successor to long-outgrown Van Zoeren Library — as a symbol of renewed knowledge and learning on campus. Following a convocation in Dimnent Memorial Chapel and ribbon-cutting, the riders led a parade into activities and demonstrations including fencing, glass-blowing, sheep-shearing, face-painting for children, and faculty portrayals of historic figures like Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I.