OΔK President's Garden
The Omicron Delta Kappa Presidents Garden in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Jack Magruder has a prominent place on the University quadrangle in front of the Kirk Memorial Building and the Flame to the Second Century. It features a marker with the Truman logo developed during Dr. Magruder’s presidency along with a dedication marker.
The Truman ODK Circle vision of creating a garden began in spring 2003 after President Jack Magruder announced his plans to retire at the end of the year and members discussed with him what the Circle might do to honor his presidency and nine years of service as Advisor to the Truman Circle. The Circle spent most of the next year and a half doing fundraising by soliciting students, faculty, staff, and student organizations to support the garden. ODK Community Service Chair Kevin Frazer was responsible for coordinating the fundraising efforts. The central focus of the garden at that time was a marker with the Truman State University logo on it and some thoughts about using native plants. Kevin worked with Faculty Secretary Dr. David Hoffman, Publications Designer Winston Vanderhoof, and Moore Monument Company to select, design, and to purchase the marker. A combination of student, faculty, staff, student organization, and ODK organization and foundation account funds were used to purchase the marker. It was completed in summer 2004 and stored until the garden was ready for installation
Erin Brooks and Nancy Hoffman designed the ODK Presidents Garden in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Jack Magruder and worked with a variety of campus administrators to make the Circle’s vision and commitment a reality during 2004-2005. In spring 2005, Erin and Dr. Hoffman presented a garden proposal to Karl Schneider, Director of the Physical Plant. Mr. Schneider made a presentation to President Dixon and the president’s staff and the garden project was approved. Dr. Julie Lochbaum, Dr. David Hoffman, and Nancy Hoffman identified, photographed, and documented in May 2005 the location of irises cultivated by President Ryle, daylilies cultivated by President Walter H. Ryle III and his son, Walt Ryle IV (Professor of History and Athletic Director), and peonies cultivated by President John R. Kirk on campus. A group of Truman faculty and staff began the garden during summer 2005 by preparing an area on quad in front of Kirk Memorial. This required the removal of the existing iris bed and bushes. The irises cultivated by President Ryle were saved in a temporary bed and the other irises were given away to faculty and staff. Physical Plant staff installed the Truman logo marker in August 2005. Circle members (largely non-gardeners), Nancy Hoffman, and David Hoffman installed a border, stepping stones, and planted the garden in fall 2005.
Irises and daylilies in the garden were cultivated by President Walter H. Ryle III and daylilies by his son Walter Ryle IV. They were transplanted with the fall 2005 planting. Several peonies cultivated by President John R. Kirk are also represented in the garden and were transplanted from the side of Kirk Memorial by David and Nancy Hoffman in May 2006. Erin Brooks continued to assist the new Community Service Chair, Erin Kane, in spring 2006 with preparing the garden for the April dedication ceremony. Laura Ganter, ODK Fundraising Chair, and Joe Baumann, ODK President worked with the Office of Advancement on sending invitations to the dedication ceremony and a fundraising solicitation letter during spring 2006. Over $400 was raised from this solicitation. ODK planted a variety of annual flowers prior to the dedication donated by David and Nancy Hoffman. Dr. Magruder, his family, President Dixon, the Truman community, and friends of Truman were present for the garden dedication (relocated to the Lounge in the Student Union because of rain) on April 29, 2006. The ceremony was videotaped by Media Services. During the summer of 2006, an anonymous donor provided the funds for a dedication marker. Dr. David Hoffman and Erin Kane worked on the layout and purchase of the dedication marker with Moore Monument Company. The dedication marker was installed in September 2006 by Physical Plant staff.
In spring 2007, ODK members purchased with organization funds and planted a variety of annual flowers. In addition, perennial blue star creeper was added between the slate stepping stones in the garden. New to the garden this year are cannas. They will provide some height in the garden since the specimen trees didn’t make it in the first year. David and Nancy Hoffman are growing a Harry Louder’s Walking Stick tree in a protected environment at their home until it is big enough for transplanting to the ODK garden.
The ODK Presidents Garden in honor of Dr. Jack Magruder is a project that requires the ongoing stewardship of the ODK Circle at Truman. The Circle and its members are responsible for fundraising, the annual maintenance of the garden, and enhancements to the garden. The garden preserves significant parts of Truman’s unique history and its former presidents. Future plans for the garden include the purchase and installation of an arbor, signs that clearly identify the historic flowers in the garden, and a garden brochure
Photo Gallery for the President's Garden