Weaver Courtyard

The Arthur D. Weaver Memorial Fountain Court on the south side of Spooner Hall was dedicated June 20, 1960, in memory of the longtime Lawrence department-store owner. It was the gift of son Arthur B. Weaver and daughter Amarette W. Veatch and their families.

A fountain near the center held a sculpture, and several others were mounted in the courtyard. One piece, "Portrait of August Renoir" by Aristide Malliol, was stolen in 1967; the others were removed to storage.

In 2007 a restoration project began, funded by Jane V. Barber, the Historic Mount Oread Fund and Weaver's Inc. The fountain was refurbished as a planter, four benches were installed, and the limestone wall was reinforced.

Four pieces collectively titled "Garden Group" were installed, on permanent loan from the Spencer Museum of Art. Created by Kansas City sculptor Richard M. Hollander in 1969, they were given to the museum in 1992 by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene M. Strauss.

Three of the stainless-steel pieces are slender and geometric, each just over 5 feet tall and about 15.5 inches wide; they are mounted in a landscaped bed near the center of the courtyard. The fourth, almost 7 feet tall and 3 feet 7.5 inches wide, is more organic in shape; it is mounted near the south wall of Spooner.