An Unlikely Pair

When walking around the West Texas A&M University campus, one gets a chance to see many different sculptures and works of art. In my time as a student here at WT, I have been able to observe and study these various sculptures and art pieces sometimes without even realizing it.

Among these, there was one that always stood out to me every time I saw it. This would be the unlabeled statue of a woman bottle-feeding a calf. For my first two and half years here, she was unnamed and unknown. Every person I spoke to about the statue was also curious about her story. Well one day I finally discovered that the name of the woman depicted is Mary Goodnight, and little did I know that she also has a counterpart over by the wooden cabin and the museum--a statue of her husband. His name is Charles Goodnight, and anyone can tell there is a large difference (literally) between the two statues. His stands large and tall out in the open, where hers is a little more humble. It is more relatable.

Another difference would be the fact that Charles' statue is labeled with his name, the years in which he was alive, and what he did here on the plains. His historical status and significance are proclaimed right on the sculpture and it is not left open for conversation or interpretation. Molly's statue, on the other hand, is anonymous. There is a label of an artist though. She is not labeled by name, the length of her life, or what she was known for. She is mysterious and unknown, in the background and shadows, like many of the women who lived their lives out on the plains as a behind-the-scenes person in the household. She is everyone and no one at the same time. The fact that she is not labeled, however, also means that she has more versatility as a symbol on campus. One could even connect the fact that she is known as the "Mother of the Panhandle" to her being a mother symbol for the students. She raised buffalo calves back when she was alive, and now the students of WT are "the Buffaloes." We are her herd. She helps us symbolically grow and thrive as students. So whether the decision to leave her unnamed was sexist or intentional, it adds meaning to the sculpture.

These two statues are so different and spread apart on campus that without knowing their story, one might not ever realize that they are connected. Their story connects them to us as students and to the community as leaders. There is Charles Goodnight standing on the edge of campus for all visitors, staff, and students to see. He is a trailblazer and a leader. He is the one everyone recognizes. Molly Goodnight is a little quieter as she stakes her claim. She stands in the heart of campus and watches over her buffaloes to see how they've grown. She is, in a way, more recognizable for the students because we see her and wonder about her story.

The heritage surrounding the Panhandle and the plains is so vast that sometimes people can get swallowed up in the rush. I love that WT found a way to memorialize these two individuals on our campus to remind us who and where we came from. The Goodnights represent the values that the community represents. They were hardworking, caring individuals who supported their community and contributed to its development. They helped keep alive the tradition and majesty of the buffalo, and that is why they will continue to live on through our campus. The thing is, not every student is going to stop and research who they are. In fact, there are no records on the Molly Goodnight statue, but for the few who do take the time to discover their stories, they will learn that they are intertwined with the history and heritage of WT. It is impossible to tell the story of West Texas A&M University without telling the story of Charles and Molly Goodnight and how they saved the buffaloes.