Vets' park dedicated anew

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CORRECTION

Ruth Sheehan's column in Monday's Triangle & Co. section incorrectly named the setting for the signing of the Armistice in 1918. The historic agreement, signaling the end of World War I, was signed in Gen. Ferdinand Foch's private railroad car. with representatives of the German, British and French forces present.

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Living or working in Raleigh, who hasn't driven by N.C. State's Bell Tower, oh, about a million times?

What I didn't know about the campus's most enduring symbol is that it was constructed as a memorial to all the students and faculty members who served and died in World War I.

Ninety years ago Tuesday, in Compiegne, France, that war ended -- at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month -- with the signing of the Armistice.

There will be a ceremony remembering the Armistice on Tuesday in Compiegne. There always is.

But on Tuesday there will also be a ceremony, less grand but meaningful, right here in Raleigh, a block or two from the Bell Tower.

Add this to the list of things I didn't know about the City of Oaks: the little patch of green behind the Bruegger's bagel shop off Hillsborough Street, on Logan, is actually a city park named for Compiegne.

It was designated as such 20 years ago, when Raleigh became the sister city of Compiegne.

But over the years, the sister- city relationship -- and the park -- suffered from neglect.

Neither was flourishing until George and Gretchen Chapman decided to perform CPR.

And what better moment than the 90th anniversary of the Armistice and the 20th anniversary of the sisterhood of cities.

On Nov. 4, George Chapman, Raleigh's former planning director, persuaded Mayor Charles Meeker to proclaim the next 12 months as the "Year of Compiegne in Raleigh."

Gretchen Chapman, retired French teacher at Ligon Middle School, arranged a bigger student exchange between Compiegne and Raleigh. The participants helped spruce up Compiegne Park, and some of the French kids visiting Ravenscroft High School will attend the Armistice event Tuesday.

A chorale group from Broughton will sing at the event as well -- in advance of a performance in Compiegne next summer.

In addition, tennis players from Raleigh Racquet Club will go to Compiegne next year, Theatre in the Park's "A Christmas Carol" will be performed there, and Compiegne children may be invited for a soccer tournament next summer.

Finally, now through Nov. 24, photographs of the Chateau de Compiegne are on display at Meymandi Hall. They were originally on exhibit in Compiegne.

George Chapman said the chateau, the scene of the actual Armistice signing, is more than 700 years old. It has 1,200 rooms and is considered on a par with Versailles.

Let's just say it's slightly more grand than Raleigh's city hall.

Still, Raleigh's lineup for Veterans Day isn't too bad.

After the short ceremony at -- what else? -- 11 a.m. in Compiegne Park, attendees will walk up Hillsborough Street to the Bell Tower, where N.C. State University officials will announce forthcoming refurbishments to the tower structure and its carillon.

The Bell Tower, Chapman noted, overlooks the campus's only roundabout, a traffic device that has been hotly contested for use on Hillsborough Street.

In Compiegne, there's a single landmark named for its sister city of Raleigh.

It's a roundabout.

Who knew?

(Listen to Ruth today at 3 p.m. on WPTF 680 AM's Bill LuMaye Show.)