College of St. Benedict renames Petters Auditorium
The College of St. Benedict has renamed the Petters Auditorium at its arts center following the conviction on fraud charges last week of benefactor Tom Petters.
The college on Tuesday said it's now the Escher Auditorium. The new name honors Sister Firmin Escher, a member of St. Benedict's Monastery and retired music faculty member who died in June. She was a central figure in the development and construction of the Benedicta Arts Center, which opened in 1964.
St. Ben's says it made its decision in consultation with the Fred and Rosemary Petters family, who it says are "cherished friends" of the college.
They're also the parents of Tom Petters. The 1,078-seat auditorium was named for them in 2003 after he pledged $3 million to expand the arts center.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
---
On the Net:
College of St. Benedict and St. John's University
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)