Spring Break
Site of NIU shooting to be torn down, rebuilt as memorial
By: Nick Badger
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: News
Northern Illinois University has decided to tear down and replace Cole Hall, the site of the Valentine's Day massacre, with Memorial Hall, a state-of-the-art classroom, NIU officials announced Wednesday.
Classes have not resumed since former NIU graduate student Steven Kazmierczka walked into Cole Hall and opened fire, killing five people.
Demolition of the building will begin in the spring and construction of Memorial Hall will begin in the summer.
Student opinion on this demolition is split on the NIU campus. Two students commented to CBS News about it.
"Some people can't stand to look at it, and others see it as a memorial as it is. Personally, I think it should stay. It's a part of us now," said Cassie Dodd, a 19-year-old freshman.
"It's a trophy of a tragic, destructive event. Nobody wants to be reminded of it," said Jessica Burnside, a junior journalism major.
Texas A&M students related their opinions to those of the Bonfire Memorial.
Freshman Sarah Jones, a biomedical sciences major said, "I think that they should do something along the Bonfire lines. Instead of replacing the whole building, put something inside the building or beside the building. Leave that little memory about how it has affected your school."
"I would not like [for it to be torn down] because no matter what happens, that building is still going to be remembered as a place where that tragedy happened," said senior commuincation major Caroline Brown. "I can't think of a better way to remember the people that were killed [than] by having something in that building where it occurred, whether it is a statue or a memorial. Anything is better than making a new building."
Classes have not resumed since former NIU graduate student Steven Kazmierczka walked into Cole Hall and opened fire, killing five people.
Demolition of the building will begin in the spring and construction of Memorial Hall will begin in the summer.
Student opinion on this demolition is split on the NIU campus. Two students commented to CBS News about it.
"Some people can't stand to look at it, and others see it as a memorial as it is. Personally, I think it should stay. It's a part of us now," said Cassie Dodd, a 19-year-old freshman.
"It's a trophy of a tragic, destructive event. Nobody wants to be reminded of it," said Jessica Burnside, a junior journalism major.
Texas A&M students related their opinions to those of the Bonfire Memorial.
Freshman Sarah Jones, a biomedical sciences major said, "I think that they should do something along the Bonfire lines. Instead of replacing the whole building, put something inside the building or beside the building. Leave that little memory about how it has affected your school."
"I would not like [for it to be torn down] because no matter what happens, that building is still going to be remembered as a place where that tragedy happened," said senior commuincation major Caroline Brown. "I can't think of a better way to remember the people that were killed [than] by having something in that building where it occurred, whether it is a statue or a memorial. Anything is better than making a new building."
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