Almanac

Ask Bucky

Do you have questions? We have answers! Ask Bucky is a service provided by the Campus Information and Visitor Center, your one-stop shop for information about the UW–Madison campus and community and your centralized source for off-campus housing listings. For more information, call 263-2400, visit the office in the Red Gym or the new satellite location in Bascom Hall, or visit us at http://www.civc.wisc.edu. Below is a question Ask Bucky recently answered.

Q: What’s the deal with Lincoln’s statue outside Bascom Hall? I heard of a tradition of sorts that involves the Lincoln statue.

A: You heard right. There is a tradition for students to sit on Abe’s lap after graduation for good luck in their future endeavors. The statue itself was sculpted by Adolph Weinman in 1906, and it is the only replica of the original statue at Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville, Ky. Weinman donated the statue to UW–Madison in 1909 after refusing bids as high as $25,000 from other universities. It is unclear exactly when this tradition became a rite of passage; nonetheless, sitting on Abe’s lap has become commonplace for many graduating students, who form a line at the statue immediately following their commencement ceremony.

Women’s exercise program holds open house

Early Mornings at the Natatorium is holding an open house through Friday, Jan. 20, for women over age 40 interested in checking out the program.

Organized in 1980 by the Department of Preventive Medicine, the program initially was intended for a 10-year osteoporosis prevention study. Although the study ended in 1990, the women involved persuaded organizers to continue classes as a fee-based outreach program.

The class, called the UW Senior Women’s Fitness Program, is an outreach exercise program for women over 40. It includes dance aerobics and strength/flexibility on alternating days from 6:40-7:40 a.m. Monday through Friday at the Natatorium.

Women interested in visiting the open house can do so free of charge on Jan. 20. There will be no cost to enter the Natatorium if attendees don’t have facility access. After the open house, the annual program fee is $400. There is an additional annual facility fee of $120 for university employees and $150 for the general public. For new members joining in January, the program fee is reduced to $200 and is valid through the end of June. The program fee entitles participants to as many classes as they choose to attend.

To learn more, visit http://www.getfit.entine.com.