When I was watching my slim wallet in college I was happy for any small job that might bring in a few bucks without taking too much time away from studies. It happened that one of these jobs put me on the same web page (well down the page, mind you)with a lot of famous people: people like William Penn, Ben Franklin, George Washington, Franz Schubert, even Moses!When I got a job posing for a Civil War statue I was thankful for the work and found it interesting to watch the sculptor work the green-grey modeling clay into a standing statue of a young lad who served as aide to Captain Russell Conwell. Surely it helped that we had a Civil War uniform in our attic with its genuine buttons intact, and that my legs were well muscled from swimming and fencing. Otherwise, I'm not sure why Boris Blai chose me.
There is a movie made in 1921 that people have trouble finding: it's a black and white film about the little boy who was assigned to Cromwell during the war and who took it upon himself to look after the Captain's treasured sword. The movie tells a slightly different story than the blurb on the finished sculpture I notice, and the name is Johnny Ring for the movie and Johnnie Ring for the sculpture tribute.(I quote both of them below.) Both speak of the devotion of a young lad to his superior officer and his duty-- and the upshot of this devotion led to really big contributions by Captain Russell Cromwell -- substantial and continuing benefits for the city of Philadelphia.
My statue stands on Temple University Campus. If my children ever want to find the statue of their mother as a minor I have a link that will give them directions to the Johnnie Ring Court where it stands. It doesn't really remind me of myself, but my husband says it does remind him of me, and he did know me then.
He says he never personally knew someone who had a bronze statue standing in public tribute. Talk about being put on a pedestal!
It's ok-- I was glad for the pocket money and I feel oddly smug about my statue, even though it isn't about me.
The Movie SynopsisRelease date: August 28, 1921--------------
Synopsis: This tale of religious conversion during the Civil War was based
on a true story. Infantry captain Russell Conwell (Ben Warren) is a firm
atheist. Before heading south to do battle, he is presented with a beautiful
sword by his fellow townsmen. Johnny Ring, the captain's aide (Frank
Walker), makes it his special job to take care of the sword. Ring is a
devout Christian, much to Conwell's annoyance. Although he forbids the young
man to read the Bible, Ring insists on praying for his captain's salvation.
There is a surprise attack and Johnny is mortally wounded while saving
Conwell's treasured sword. Conwell is promoted to colonel, and later on is
seriously wounded in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain. He finally looks to
God, promising that if he lives, he will devote his life to spreading the
word. He survives and carries out his promise. The real Russell Conwell was
still alive when this film was made, and he was the pastor of Philadelphia's
Temple Church, along with being a well-known philanthropist and director of
the Samaritan and Garrettson hospitals, also in Philadelphia. ~ Janiss
Garza, All Movie Guide
The Tribute on the Statue:Johnnie Ring was the youth whose example in life and heroism in death provided
inspiration in death that led to the founding of Temple University. In the war between the states
he was the personal orderly to Captain Russell H. Conwell of the 46th Massachusetts Infantry.
The moving forces of his life at that time were his religious faith and his devotion to Captain Conwell.
When a surprise Confederate attack routed Union troops, it was Johnnie Ring who raced across
a flaming bridge and through enemy gunfire to retrieve from his commander's tent the
ceremonial sword presented to the Captain by the city of Springfield. He bought back the sword,
but he died that night of his burns as Conwell knelt by his cot in prayer. The incident turned
Conwell to the ministry as a life work and later to the foundation of Temple University.
He vowed to live a life for Johnnie Ring as well as for himself. Eight hours of work a day
for Johnnie, eight hours of work for his own. Except for Johnnie Ring, Conwell would never have
told America the story of the acres of diamonds, nor would he have built the University that
enabled multitudes of young men and women to realize the promise of education.
* West side of Watts Walk, North of Berks Mall.
* On the Temple Campus tour.
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