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Governor Matt Blunt came to the SMSU campus March 17th to sign legislation that changes the name of the institution to Missouri State University. The bill signing ceremony capped off a day long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the school. Mike Smith has the story:
Governor Matt Blunt signed a bill bestowing the name Missouri State University on the institution known until now as Southwest Missouri State University. Blunt signed the bill privately in the capitol Thursday then took part in a ceremonial signing late in the day with several hundred people at Plaster Student Union Theatre. Blunt is a native of the Springfield area and has been a strong advocate of the name change. The university had pursued a name change for about two decades before finally winning legislative approval two weeks ago. Blunt said at the signing ceremony here at SMS that the new name reflects what the school already is.
With Governor Blunt's signature on Senate Bill 98 the name change is official however it won't take effect until August 28th. Blunt waited until the final day possible to sign the bill because it coincided with the university's centennial celebration. That celebration began Thursday morning with the Staff Senate hosting a tree planting ceremony in front of McDonald Arena.
Later in the day, in another centennial ceremony, the History Department planted a ten foot catalpa sapling on the north side of Pummill Hall. The seed that became that tree was harvested from a descendant of a 100-year-old campus catalpa. In another ceremony, a granite plaque was presented to the public on the sidewalk in front of Carrington Hall. The plaque commemorates the SMS centennial. And following that presentation, a Founders Day birthday party featured free ice cream sundaes and Don Landon signing copies of his SMS centennial book "Daring the Excel: The First 100 Years of SMSU.
