Baker University celebrated the 100th anniversary of President William Howard Taft’s visit to the campus Tuesday during the 2011 Opening Convocation ceremony.

Along with performances by the Baker University Concert Choir and Speech Choir, Associate Professors of History Leonard Ortiz and John Richards made speeches commemorating Taft’s speech for the inauguration of Baker University President Wilbur Mason in 1911.

According to Ortiz, Professor William Markham invited the president to speak at the inauguration and Taft accepted.

To prepare for the president’s arrival, the university built a concrete bridge, known as Taft Bridge, because Taft was a large man and those at the school were nervous the wooden bridge would be unable to hold his weight. The bridge is still in place between Case Hall and Mabee Hall.

The university believes Taft’s visit was a result of Markham’s invitation, but there is no way to know his true intentions in visiting Baker.