Just 48 hours before its dedication, an unusually strong earthquake shook the building and raised fears it wouldn’t be safe in time for early-semester events. A structural examination determined the damage was merely cosmetic, and the ribbon cutting was a go.
Anderson hadn’t felt the quake, he told the well-wishers at the dedication; he was in the air on his way to Fredericksburg. In a strong voice familiar to so many, the president emeritus expressed the excitement he felt as he traveled to get his first glimpse of the building that bears his name.
“Now I know what a 4-year-old child feels like on Dec. 24,” he said. “It’s a marvelous facility, and I’m so honored they did this.”