the Richmond Times Dispatch yesterday [Feb. 20] had an article about  
the Wren cross, and what the 'chapel situation' is in other Virginia  
colleges. Of Virginia's 15 four-year public colleges and  
universities, only 5 have traditional chapels. Small rooms are set  
aside for chapels at university affiliated hospitals at U. Va. and  
VCU in Richmond. So in addition to the chapel at W&M:

U. Va. has, for 40 years, had a removable cross on its chapel altar,  
which is taken away for certain events. The cross was originally a  
gift from Navy units that were stationed there during WW II for  
training, and it is kept there as a memorial to those from the units  
who died in the war. The University chapel was built in 1890 in a  
cruciform shape, with stained glass windows that depict crosses,  
Jesus, Mary, Moses and angels. A stone cross is at the roof at the  
front of the Gothic style building; so removing religious symbolism  
there would be impossible, thought the chapel has been used in a  
nondenominational way since it was built.

Va. Tech's chapel only has 3 wall sculptures of God interacting with  
man; religious symbols must be brought to the chapel by the  
celebrants. It was built in 1960 as the "War Memorial Chapel" and is  
open to all groups.

VMI has no religious symbols in its chapel, built in 1916 and known  
as Jackson Memorial Hall; it has never had religious symbols present.  
A mural inside the chapel shows the charge of VMI cadets at the  
Battle of New Market.

U. Va.'s College at Wise [county] also has no religious symbols in  
its chapel, and like Va. Tech requires that celebrants bring whatever  
religious symbols they choose. It was built in 1982 with donations  
from a Jewish family, first generation Americans whose parents had  
fled Lithuania. It is called the Chapel of All Faiths and it displays  
a plaque showing the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on an  
inside wall [I really like this idea].

Nancy

-------
I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days.

--Daniel Boone

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