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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1972)
Urban London smog threatens St. Paui's by Angus Doming LONDON-Through the centuries, St. Paul's, "the parish church of the British people," has survived a succession of perils, both physical and religious. It has been destroyed by fire several times over. Oliver Cromwell used it as a cavalry barracks with horses stabled inside the great walls and later offered it to London Jews for conversion to a synagogue. The Germans bombed and fire-bombed it during World War II. Now St. Paul's is once again in serious danger. This time its enemies are air pollution, traffic vibrations and time itself. The damage is extensive-and very nearly irreversible. Mortar between the cathedral's stones has decayed to such an extent that the south wall has bulged outwards. And the twin bell towers, which support the portico entrance like two massive bookends, are leaning away from each other. Unless . this splaying process is halted, the portico will sooner or later fall down. Cracks and faults run like jagged streaks of lightning down the outside walls. One of the four stone urns at the base of the south portico had worn away by almost an inch. Most of the exterior statues have had their facial features eroded and their gritty-gray surface can be rubbed away with the ball of the thumb. Although St. Paul's vulnerability has been realized for many years, the full proportions of the damage and decay came to light only recently. The Cathedral's chief surveyor, Bernard Feilden, using mine detectors and other sophisticated instruments, has produced a report which details the situation and the remedies. "The face of St. Paul's is literally being washed away by erosion, which comes from sulphur dioxide," he declares. "There is nothing we can do to change it. The only thing we can do is to stop it from getting worse. Air pollution, which has similarly undermined the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is part of the problem. Another part is the heavy traffic vibrations of the truck artery that runs right by the cathedral. . 4 , ' ! , ' ' i St. Paul's Cathedral . . to change it." The carelessness of the Victorian Age is also a factor. More than a hundred years ago, workmen laid a sewer perilously close to the church; and the ground-and therefore the church walls-have been settling ever since. The building, too, has never fully recovered from the Luftwaffe's nightly blitz of London in 1940. It was struck not only by incendiary bombs but by two high-explosive bombs. But somehow St. Paul's has always managed to survive. Indeed, there has been a church on the present site for upwards of 15 centuries and each of the buildings played a part in English history. Sir Christopher Wren, architect of the present structure, was first called in to submit a scheme for is literally being washed away by erosion. There is nothing we can do restoration of the previous church in 1666, when he was only 30 years old. Before his plans could be carried out, fire destroyed the entire building and Wren got the opportunity he had long wanted to build an entirely new church. Cleverly, he submitted a plan to the liking of the authorities-and then went about building the church on his own plan, thus producing the magnificent work of architecture that has lasted to this day. Now a new campaign to "Save St. Paul's" has been inaugurated. It has a goal of raising $8.2 million-including $1 million from the U.S. in the next seven years. So far, the campaign seems a success. The 10,000th individual contribution was received recently and the fund-raisers have already passed the halfway point. Newtweek Feature Servico AAA1 DECEMBER 12th . v. Cleveland DECEMBER 15th vt. D.troit DECEMBER 20th - vt. Seattle Game Time 7:35 KANSAS CITY-OMAHA KINGS ' STUDENT DISCOUNT COUPON ; This coupon will admit the holder, with a school identi fication card, to receive half price on any ticket to the Kansas City-Omaha Kings game on either December 12th, 15th, or 20th. This coupon must be exchanged at the Omaha Civic Auditorium box office for a ticket. Name School Address Phone T CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Don't know what to give Dad for Christmas? Send him the daily nebraskan $1 off regular $5sem ester order in Rm. 34, Nebraska Union through Dec. 15. Mail orders accepted through Dec. 25. p4 I enclose $4 for second semester daily nebraskan Pleuse send my subscription to: nume street city state, zip . this coupon expires Dec. 25, 1972 Monday, December 18 7:30 - 9:30 A.M. Clattat masting at 2:30 P.M. 5 or 4 day or MWF or any ona or two of that a ' r '10:00 0 12:00 A.M. Clattat meeting at 8:30 A.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata days. 1:00 3:00 P.M. Clattat meeting at 12:30 P.M. 5 or 4 days or MWF or any ona or two of thata dayt, 3:30 6:30 P.M. Clattat meeting at 4:30 P.M. 5 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thata dayt. 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. ECON 10, ECON 11, ECON 12, H & P EDUC 31 (o) (pi Tuesday, December 19 7.30 - 9:30 A.M. Clattat meeting at 1:30 P.M. 5 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thata dayt. 10:00 12:00 A.M. Clattat meeting at 3:30 P.M. B or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thata dayt. 1 :00 3 00 P.M. Clattat meeting at 1 1 :30 A.M. 5 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thete dayt. 3:30 6:30 P.M. Clattat meeting at 4:30 P.M. TTHS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 7:00 9:00 P.M. MGMT 36, TCD 3 Wednesday, December 20 7;.30 9:30 A.M. Clattat meeting at 9:30 A.M. 6 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thate dayt. 1:00-12 00 A.M. Clattat meeting at 7:30 A.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 10a 3rSPM' Clattat meeting at 10:30 A.M. TThS or any one or two of thete doyt. 3:30 6:30 P.M. Clattat meeting at 12:30 P.M. TThS or any ona or two of thete dayt. 7:00 -9 00 P.M. MGMT 190, WPE 64 Thursday, December 21 7:30 0 9:30 A.M. Clattat meeting at 10:30 A.M. 6 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona c two of thate dayt. 10 00 12:00 A.M. Clattat meeting at 3:30 P.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 1 :00 - 3:00 P.M. Clattat meeting at 1 :30 TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 3:30 6:30 P.M. Clattat meeting at 7:30 A.M. 6 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona or two of thata dayt. 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. MUSIC 70, 70C, TCD 21, TCD 106, MATH 14, MATH 114, MATH 116, MATH 116, MATH 203 "M'M Friday, December 22 7:30 9:30 A. M. Clattat meeting at 8:30 A.M 6 or 4 dayt or MWF or any ona ortwo of thata dayt. '"'mSI,' M' Clattat meeting at 2:30 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. Clattat meeting at 9:30 A.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 3:30- 6:30 P.M. Clattat meeting at 1 1 :30 A.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 3:itlJ?:3 P,M' Cl" meeting at 1 1 :30 A.M. TThS or any ona or two of thata dayt. 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. MKT 141, Span 61, Span 62, German 1, German 2 H ' page 10 daily nebraskan monday, december 11, 1972 4 e-..-4a rVV.