A small room of memory

The Golden Book is housed in the Memorial Room, in a secluded part of the IMU just outside of Alumni Hall. The book rests on an antique, hand-carved mantel from a Roman palace, and on the floor is a bronze plaque with the inscription “In memory of the sons and daughters of Indiana University who have served in the wars of the Republic.” A pair of 500-year-old stained glass windows once owned by Hoosier author Booth Tarkington overlooks the mantel, along with a portrait of William Lowe Bryan, IU president from 1902 to 1937, who led the initiative to build the IMU. It is a fitting home, providing protection and an atmosphere of tradition and respect.

As a member of the U.S. Signal Corps, Mac Fleming documented the final days of World War II in Germany. After the war, he joined the faculty of IU’s School of Education, and in 2016 donated his extensive collection of historic photos to University Archives. Several of the photographs are included in his book, From War to Peace in 1945 Germany (IU Press, 2016). Fleming taught photography at IU for many years and is emeritus professor of education. Listen to Fleming’s recollections in an interview from WFIU’s Profiles series.