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 Memorial Union: The Transcendent Tower
Signs, Symbols, and Seals: The Sculpture of Memorial Tower
Embellished Emblems
This group of photographs showcases four bald eagles. Bald eagles are the national bird and oak branches and symbolic imagery accompany each eagle. Representative of America, the foliage is a Christian symbol for steadfastness in times of persecution. Clockwise from the top left, this eagle grabs a banner inscribed with "1918,” the year World War I came to an end. Old Academic Hall’s six Ionic columns cover the chest of the next eagle. Below the bird are the letters "U” and "M,” which represent the university. A plaque with cresting, a Gothic floral motif, is on the bottom right eagle. The cresting depicts a lily, a Christian symbol of purity, the Virgin Mary, and Christ and his Resurrection. The letters "U” and "M” are also below this eagle. A shield with the stars and stripes motif accompanies the last eagle, which clutches an olive branch and arrows in its talons. This imagery, along with the banner below the eagle, is part of the U. S. Coat of Arms.
"1918" Eagle 
Eagle with Columns
Eagle with Lily
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University of Missouri
