Weather Vane Atop Dartmouth College Library to be Removed Due to Offensive Imagery

Dartmouth College has announced that it will be removing a controversial weather vane from the campus, reports NBC 5.

The weather vane, which is being removed for offensive imagery, sits atop the Baker Library Tower on the school’s Hanover campus. According to a press release from the school, the weather vane depicts, “…a Native American, wearing feathers and smoking a long pipe, seated on the ground in front of Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth’s founder. A round shape behind Wheelock is presumed to be a barrel of rum, according to Dartmouth historical records.”

Many students and community members have expressed concerns over the image, which has sat atop the library for nearly 100 years. According to Dartmouth President Philip J. Hanlon, “we are tremendously proud of our historic – although at times flawed – commitment to welcoming and educating our accomplished Native American students.”

The college will be taking recommendations for a new weather vane from a group, which will take into consideration the iconography of the institution.

A date for the removal has not yet been set.