Local historian helps bring Pitt Swiss Room to fruition
-->PITTSBURGH — On April 22, 14 years of planning and preparations will come to fruition with the unveiling of the University of Pittsburgh's new Swiss-themed classroom. It's the latest addition to 28 other Nationality Rooms at Pitt's Cathedral of Learning, each reflecting in its interior design and furnishings the history and culture of a different ethnic group that has contributed to the development of western Pennsylvania.
Among those present at the invitation-only dedication ceremony will be Evelyn Baker Ruffing, a Derry Township historian and foreign language instructor who is part of the 15-member committee that has shepherded the Swiss room from concept to reality.
Ruffing, who became involved as a member of the Swiss-American Society of Pittsburgh, noted details of the dedication have been planned by the room committee with the same attention to cultural authenticity as has the design of the classroom itself.
"It's a big event for all of us," she said, expressing delight with the rich wood panels, ceiling and furniture that dominate the Swiss room. "The architecture is just gorgeous. You walk n there and you can't help smiling."