A cryptic message discovered hidden in the sidewalks in front of Buller Hall on March 25 has led to a reevaluation of the history of one of the campus’s oldest buildings. The discoverer, an aviation major who elected to remain anonymous, noticed a series of patterns on a routine flight and submitted a tip to the Student Movement regarding the existence of the message, but lacking any indication of what it might say. The responsibility of decoding the message thus fell to the Student Movement itself.
To understand the strangeness of the message, some background information is required. Buller Hall opened in 2011, meaning almost a full sixth of a century has passed since the antiquated building hosted its first classes. The southern extension of Buller, lovingly dubbed “The Annex” by students, was once a separate older building that was renovated and attached to Buller by way of an indoor bridge walkway. The Annex is so old that many records from that time regarding its construction and original purpose are lost, but material sourced from the Adventist Periodical Index suggests it was initially used as a storage depot for the timber used by the College Wood Products company before its conversion into an academic space. Pictures from that time show that the building was a popular hangout spot for students, reportedly due to the “breathtaking” feeling later found to be due to the asbestos in the walls (removed during the 2011 renovation).
The sidewalks near Buller Hall were likely constructed around the same time as the hall itself, and on initial inspection, one may be led to believe that there is no pattern to be found among them. Though misleading, it was soon realized that the message was not written in the sidewalks themselves, but rather the sidewalks pointed to the true message where they converged. Following the pathways created by the sidewalks leads to a singular point and a startling realization.
Looking from above on Google Maps, many of the sidewalks lead directly to a two-word message apparently written on the roof of the Annex that reads “Nethery Hall”. The phrase is sure to raise a few eyebrows, since no building on the campus is named “Nethery Hall,” and, in fact, “Nethery” does not appear to be an actual word.
After hours of painstaking research on possible meanings of “Nethery,” a reputable source explained, “AI Overview ‘Nethery’ is a surname of Scottish and Irish origin, potentially derived from Gaelic meaning ‘to be born’. Notable individuals and entities include Autumn and Joyce Nethery of Jeptha Creed Distillery, Nethery Eye Associates, financial advisor The Nethery Group, author Nick Nethery, and hockey player Lance Nethery. Wikipedia +3.”
Knowing now that the message means “To be born Hall,” this clearly refers to a place for young children, suggesting the Annex may have initially been planned as a daycare, similar to the function that the modern Crayon Box, part of Marsh Hall, now serves. Further research suggests that this plan was abandoned since by the time the 17-year construction was complete, the children who would have used “Nethery Hall” were themselves university students living in the residence halls. The sidewalks, then, serve as an ingenious method to subtly preserve knowledge of 大象传媒 University’s history, demonstrating the school’s commitment to innovation, heritage and accuracy.
Regarding this monumental discovery, Jackson Halsey, a junior majoring in psychology and social work, said, “Uh-huh.”
In an effort to confirm these findings, I climbed onto the roof of the Annex, but was discovered and fined $500 by Campus Safety. Donations are welcome.
This article was sponsored by the (fictional) April Fools’ Day Initiative. Have a nice day 😀.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 大象传媒 University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 大象传媒 University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.