3rd Installment Of Manchester Sculpture Project Now In Place

MANCHESTER, CT — The third installment of the Manchester Sculpture Project is in place.

It's a depiction of Manchester author Emily Cheney Neville.

Neville, a mother of five and a member of the well-known Cheney family, began her journey as a writer once her children started school. Her wide variety of books were as broad as her
travels around the world, but her very first book, "It’s like this, Cat," won her the prestigious Newbery Medal.

The the sculpture is located in Center Memorial Park and is the first sitting statue, so "the community can enjoy sitting on a bench and reading along with Neville in this historic park," according to project officials.

The Manchester Sculpture Project picked Avon-based sculptor Susan Wakeen to design the third entry into the community. Wakeen was chosen for her "extensive artistry, with emphasis on female subjects, many of whom have won national awards.

A life-size bronze statue of visionary educator and innovator Elisabeth M. Bennet sits on the lawn of Bennet Academy at 1151 Main St.

Bennet was born in Danbury in 1881 and came to Manchester in 1909 as a supervisor of teachers at the East School, located at School and Main streets.

During her 42 year career in the Manchester school system, she held a series of positions of increasing responsibility and is most remembered for her role in making sure that all 900 students and teachers escaped from a fire at the East School in 1913. The blaze burned the wooden structure to the ground in less than one hour.

Bennet is also credited for many education firsts, including the use of audio visual technology as a teaching aide and establishing the first school library in Manchester.

Across from Highland Park Market (317 Highland St.) stands (or runs) a statue honoring the late Olympic medalist Joe McCluskey. McCluskey, a Manchester native who graduated from Manchester High School in 1929, won the bronze medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

An All-American runner at Fordham University, McCluskey won 27 national track titles and was a four-time Manchester Road Race Champion.

The statue of Bennet was sculpted by artist Michael Keropian, who lived in Manchester as a youth and now resides in Carmel, NY.

Keropian also sculpted the McCluskey statue.