SIC's Flannery was featured speaker at Kiwanis Club

HARRISBURG - Chad Flannery was the featured speaker last Wednesday at the regular meeting of the Harrisburg Kiwanis Club, held at the Ponderosa restaurant.

Flannery is the Executive Director of Students at Southeastern Illinois College. He discussed the new Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art to be constructed at SIC. Twin brothers, Colonel William C. Hise and Brigadier General James C. Hise, grew up in Harrisburg and graduated from Harrisburg Township High School. Both boys, then left the community to pursue their careers, but their sister, Ella, remained as an art teacher and supervisor in the Harrisburg school system.

As avid art enthusiasts, William and James had always desired to honor their sister in some way. After the passing of James, Colonel William C. Hise met with SIC President Jonah Rice with an offer of $2.5 million to construct an art museum on campus. After a discussion, it was recognized that while the museum would be an excellent addition to SIC, an issue arose as to how the college could operate such an addition with the current state's financial situation.

Colonel Hise at that point offered a $750,000 operating budget with ongoing operation to be provided through the interest from the donation. The building will contain three large gallery spaces, an education area for lectures, a kitchen and a reception space according to Flannery. Plans are for bid letting and selection of a contractor by the end of the year. Hopes are for ground breaking early in 2018.</group><group id="AD6709ED-C621-465E-8CF2-2C4EF2C1D73A" type="seoLabels">