Norwich University officials will dedicate the west end of Sabine Field as Pond Plaza in honor of Dr. Erasmus Arlington “Arlie” Pond during a ceremony to be held on Thursday, April 23, during the annual April meeting of the university’s board of trustees. The memorial is made possible by the generosity of the Tawani Foundation.
An athlete, physician, humanitarian and soldier, Pond graduated from Rutland High School in 1888 and enrolled at Norwich University, where he distinguished himself as a baseball pitcher and musician. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Vermont, graduating in 1893 and completing medical school in 1895. During a medical residency and internship in Baltimore, he pitched for Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles.
Called to duty as a surgeon during the Spanish-American War, Pond served in the Philippines, supporting American troops throughout the conflict and again during WWI. From 1903 until his death 27 years later, Pond remained in the Philippines, where he worked to stop the spread of disease, share his love of baseball and provide schooling for local children.
In December 2014, a group of Norwich students, staff and faculty visited the Philippines as part of a long-term effort to help the country rebuild after the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan. While there, the group visited the hospital Pond established there. The trip took place through the auspices of NU VISIONS Abroad, an international service-learning program coordinated by the university’s Center for Civic Engagement.
The four-year project is generously supported by a grant from the Chicago-based Tawani Foundation.
The April 23 ceremony begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
Founded by COL (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), Trustee Emerita of Norwich University, Tawani Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) grant-making organization whose mission is: to enhance the awareness and understanding of the importance of the Citizen Soldier; to preserve unique sites of significance to American and military history; to foster health and wellness projects for improved quality of life; and to honor the service of military personnel, past, present and future, through an awards program that includes the JROTC/ROTC Award for Military Excellence and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing.