Old Main Society--Preserving Mississippi State's history

For some 80 years before fire destroyed it in 1959, Old Main Dormitory was home for some 80,000 Mississippi State students. The stories and the memories about life in the grand old dorm are legendary.

An extremely popular book about life in Old Main, which includes 144 pages of history, personal reminiscences, and photographs, was published in October. Now Old Main: Images of a Legend by history professors Charles Lowery and Roy Scott is only available through the university to members of the Old Main Society, donors who include the university as a beneficiary in their wills.

Just as the memory of Old Main was preserved when its bricks were used to build the Chapel of Memories in 1965, the memories of other memorials and historic structures on the Mississippi State campus are being preserved by the Old Main Society.

"Gifts to the university in the form of bequests are being used to help preserve and maintain memorials and historic structures on campus," says Jim Alinder, director of planned giving for the university. "It's a fitting tribute to the old dorm and to the Mississippi State campus that is so close to all of our hearts."

Those who include the university in their wills and provide Mississippi State with a copy of that portion pertaining to the university will receive a special edition of Old Main: Images of a Legend.

For more information on the Old Main Society, contact Alinder at: