One of My Favorite Places on Campus
I grew to love the University of New Orleans campus. My favorite view was that of the northern part of the University campus. The University is located in a very good part of the city. It is close to the Lake Pontchartrain Beach and the Lake Terrace. It is rightly dubbed, the “Lake Front Campus.” I spent most of my time in the Education wing. Every time I looked out from the third floor of the College of Education building the scene was fantastic! Looking over the cove was a treat to anyone who loves nature. At seven o’clock in the morning on a clear day before the hustle and the bustle of student activities begins, the lawns appeared to be resting quietly under the shade of trees and plants. Everywhere, everything seemed to be at rest and even the chirping sound of birds was subdued, as though there was an unspoken rule among them; “be quiet!” The birds seemed to be enjoying this part of the day before the unending flow of footsteps of students and faculty began to invade their space. They alighted gently from bush to grass, lifted their heads in search of sounds, persons, then down again.
The houses along the lake were mostly modern ranch-styled buildings, compared to the older parts of the city where shot-gun homes and palaces abounded. These homes appeared to be tucked in and almost hidden by the sprawling trees. Above the tree tops the sky had a soft, yellowish hue mingled with the blues and grays. In the distance, when evening came, the street lights added to the beauty of the scenery. The lights looked like small, yellow stars, dotting the atmosphere. By seven forty-five, there were a number of familiar sounds in the air around the campus buildings. There was the clanging sound of the elevator, and the sight of a cleaner, clad in gloves and outerwear, bucket and brush in hand. She had completed her chores of dusting, wiping and cleaning.
A walk across campus from that building could be very tedious, but thanks to the gardeners, every portion of land was well taken care of. This truly was landscaping of its purest form, not a blade of grass was out of place! The green plants and colorful flowers, created a picturesque view for students as they passed by and the burden of tramping around campus was lessened by the beauty of the surroundings.
