Out of sight, behind the maintenance building, resides one of the least know classrooms on the Bacone College campus — the bronze casting foundry.

For more than 30 years, Rose King Mayer has taught the class as an adjunct professor and has retired. She said taught the class as long as her health would allow and regrets having to retire.

The foundry was built in 1972 when Chief Terry Saul, who was head of the art department, and Vernon McNeil, art instructor, received funding from a government grant. The bronze foundry is one of only two such foundries in Oklahoma educational institutions. The other is at the University of Oklahoma.

There were five students enrolled in the first bronze sculpting class at Bacone — Mayer, Nellie Harris, Maxine Birdwell, Jack Rosson and John Cable.

After McNeil’s retirement, Mayer began teaching the class along with Harris. Mayer has been the only instructor since Harris retired.

“The foundry was very small and the process long,” Mayer said. “There was originally no melt-down furnace and the process required to ready the sculpted piece for pouring the bronze could take up to eight hours. It was only after Vernon McNeil had learned of the slurry casting process (during a visit to the University of Kansas) and began to implement it, that the process became less time consuming.”

The class is not one that contributes revenue to the college so from the beginning Mayer and Harris donated their time, expertise and knowledge to teaching the art. About seven years ago she was given a salary by Dr. Robert Brown, vice president and dean of the faculty.

“It’s a lot of fun and the three workers enjoyed it. It was particularly interesting watching the kids — how proud they are in the work they’ve done,” Mayer said. “I was hoping the foundry and the bronze sculpting class would continue after my retirement.”

Bacone offered instruction in the class through tuition and a lab fee charged to the students, but the day-to-day supplies like paper towels, small hand tools and other supplies, as well as some equipment and furnishings have been provided by Mayer, Harris and her helpers.

Genie Basey, Lonnie Kirkendal and Paul Evans were her most recent helpers.

Basey began her artistic career in bronze sculpting after auditing Mayer’s class several years ago. In 2005 Basey was commissioned by the City of Muskogee to cast the sculpture of “The Sentry,” the life size bronze eagle in Honor Heights Park.

“Rose is a wonderful teacher and the reason the class has continued for so many years,” Basey said. “All her students think the world of her.

“She has such a soft composed demeanor, but she is steel underneath. She inspires dedication and has always gotten stuff done that needed to be done. We all hated to see her retire.”

Mayer keeps busy as a volunteer with Retired Senior and Volunteer Program, sponsored by Volunteers of America; First United Methodist Church where she puts out the weekly bulletin; the Optimist Club; and Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby.