The Spirit of Human Drama - Pennsauken, NJ - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

This memorial features a figurative statue of an officer, his badge taped with a black strip, surrounding the officer are two children who appear are sad and mourning a loss. The boy, bigger and older than the girl, is holding the slain officers police hat, looking down mournfully at it. The officer is looking to the heavens, proudly and defiantly.

The statue is on a square stone marble block. The inscription on the front reads: "The Spirit of Human Drama - This statue is dedicated to all officers killed and disabled in the line of duty". There is a stone bench to the right and the entire thing is situated on a large area of brick pavers.

On the ground in front of the pedestal is a metal marker with a poem inscribed therein. It reads:

"We stand here now with such sorrow and pain, looking for the answers that may somehow explain why things happened the way they did on that fateful day that changed his life and ours in so many ways. We may never know the answers to all that we ask, but we call upon you to help with this unending task. make a vow that this sacrifice will remain alive in your heart, knowing that so many lives were forever torn apart."

This area, known as Memorial Grove is managed by the Camden County Parks Department.

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The following comes from the inventory page:

Description
A uniformed policeman stands behind a boy and a girl. The policeman has a sidearm attached to his belt and wears a hat. His proper right arm is on the boy's proper right shoulder and his proper left arm is on the girl's proper left shoulder. The boy is dressed in a suit and holds a police cap in both hands. The girl wears a dress and holds a flower in both hands. A blue line is etched into the upper perimeter of the base.

Inscription
JAMES AUGUSTUS. 1991 (Front of base, incised:) THE SPIRIT OF HUMAN DRAMA/THIS STATUE IS DEDICATED TO ALL OFFICERS/KILLED AND DISABLED/IN THE LINE OF DUTY signed.

Remarks
Dedicated to all police officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Sculpture was designed and created by George T. Bowman, President of Garden State Lodge #3, Fraternal Order of Police. The sculptor, Frank A. Bender, is a police forensic sculptor. IAS files contain a photocopy of "The Spirit of Human Drama" Dedication Ceremony brochure and the transcription of a nearby plaque.
SOURCE

TITLE: The Spirit of Human Drama ARTIST(S): Frank A. Bender, George T. Bowman DATE: May 18, 1991 MEDIUM: Sculpture: bronze; Base: polished granite. CONTROL NUMBER: IAS NJ000061 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Cooper River Park (346.55 acres) runs through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. The park is bounded by North and South Park Drives, Route 130 and Grove Street. DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: No Changes Observed

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Date Logged Log   06/12/2018 genealogyjill visited it