Giving Stories
Council Ring for Carleton
October 5th, 2007
In celebration of their 50th Reunion, the Class of 1954 sponsored the construction of a council ring to serve as a gathering place for Carleton students. Members of the class hoped that the structure, which symbolizes the strong sense of community they experienced while at Carleton, would foster similar bonds among future generations of students. Now in regular use, the council ring—located on the northeast shore of Lower Lyman Lake—has quickly become a favorite gathering spot for students and alumni.
The council ring design originated in the early 1900s by landscape architect Jens Jensen, a designer and conservationist who worked closely with Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie School of design. A Danish immigrant who developed many of Chicago’s parks, gardens, and estates, Jensen’s designs feature local building materials and native plants, working in harmony with nature and the site. “Here there is no social caste,” he once said of the council ring. “All are on the same level, looking each other in the face. A ring speaks of strength and friendship, and is one of the great symbols of mankind.”
Council rings are usually constructed at a woodland edge with a view to a meadow or lake. Drawing from both Nordic and Native American traditions, council rings serve as a meeting place for conversation, song, dance, storytelling, poetry, and campfires, linking humanity and nature.
Carleton’s council ring may be reserved by students or by others for Carleton-related events—Facilities Management even supplies the firewood. To make a reservation, please use Carleton's Campus Services room requests system.
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