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A Publication of The Chronicle for Centralia College Since 2012 • www.centraliablaze.com
Honoring Corbet and Kemp with a permanent tribute
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Sculptor Jim Stafford holds up a wax mock-up the future Corbet/Kemp statue in January near where the bronze piece of art will be planted at Centralia College.
By Courtney Simmons The Blaze
Two of the most influential faculty members in the history of Centralia College, Margaret Corbet (1886-19971) and Katharine Kemp (1899-1978), will be remembered with a bronze statue being erected in their honor, expected to be installed on the southwest side of Kirk Library. The Centralia College Foundation has raised more than $100,000 to fund the project, and has commissioned a Centralia College alumnus to complete it. Stafford has previously been commissioned to cre-
ate the Reach for the Stars statue, which stands outside the north entrance to Washington Hall. Corbet and Kemp were both crucial in the survival of Centralia College during its early years. In 1925, when Centralia College opened to 15 students on the third floor of Centralia High School, Corbet became its first president. She had served at the high school’s English department, and at the college she was also the drama instructor. The college’s Corbet Theater is also named after her. “Margaret Corbet stepped up and led the college through the Depres-
was expected to be selfsufficient. Together, Corbet and Kemp kept the financial troubles brought about by the Great Depression at bay by raising money to pay faculty and keep the college open. They rallied together sion,” said Julie Johnson, di- in much the same way when rector of Donor and Alumni World War II threatened to Relations at the Centralia shut the college down as College Foundation. well. In 1932, Kemp joined the The artist for this projcollege’s faculty and became ect, Jim Stafford, says the close friends with Corbet, project is close to his heart. as they shared a passion for He studied under Kathateaching and a belief in the rine Kemp, and recalls how idea of the junior college. she encouraged him to purKemp Hall at the college is sue his love of art. named in her honor. “Katherine Kemp, she At the time, the col- was a force to be reckoned lege was considered to be a with,” Stafford said. “She private entity, and as such was a strict, no nonsense
“She was quite a lady. She was a strong willed person. I guess they both were.” -Jim Stafford
woman.” Stafford recalled a time when Kemp asked him why he was not studying in Seattle, where he could work with nude models. “She was quite a lady,” he said. “She was a strong willed person. I guess they both were.” Though the date of the statue’s completion remains to be determined, Stafford said he hopes to complete the clay version by next month. After that it will be sent off the be casted in bronze. The amount of time it will take is uncertain. “They’re a little more complicated than I thought,” Stafford admitted. “I call artistic license.”
Centralia College Foundation Receives Donation of Forest land 17.5 Acres: Centralia College Hall of Fame Member and Wife Give Generous Gift By Courtney Simmons The Blaze
Bill Watterson, an Alaska contractor and former Centralia College student, and his wife Helga have made a sizeable donation to
the Centralia College Foundation. Instead of money, however, Watterson donated land — seventeen Bill Watterson and a half donated 17.5 acres to be acres to College exact. While a designated committee is still in the process
of determining how this property will be put to use, all proceeds from the sale of land or timber are to be used in establishing an endowment for scholarships to students of Centralia College. Twenty acres that were previously donated to the foundation act as one of the college’s natural learning labs for students. Watterson graduated from Centralia College in
1961, and in 1987 he was one of the first to be voted into the Centralia College Sports Hall of Fame for Helga Watterson his participa- donated 17.5 tion on the acres to College college’s basketball team. As a student he also received the Mr.
Hustle and Mr. Inspirational awards. “We are very pleased to accept this property,” said Julie Johnson, director of Donor and Alumni Relations at the Centralia College Foundation. “The Watterson family has been very important to the foundation and to the college, and the generosity of this family is greatly appreciated.”
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