ASHLAND, Ohio – A Peace Pole—an internationally-recognized marker that represents love, peace and harmony—was installed and unveiled earlier this semester at Ashland University.

There are an estimated 250,000 Peace Poles across the U.S., serving as powerful symbols that each display the timeless message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” in a variety of languages.

AU’s first such Peace Pole was erected in an appropriate location – outside Bixlar Hall, where the Ashland Center for Nonviolence is housed. ACN, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, seeks a world in which human conflict at all levels can be resolved without resorting to violence and in which social justice can be realized.

During a dedication ceremony, Peter Slade, Ph.D., professor of religion, explained the purpose of the Peace Pole to the AU community.

“The idea of these poles is (a) standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth,” Slade said. “The reason this pole is outside the Ashland Center for Nonviolence is that the ACN is placed here—the center of Ashland University—to remind the students, the community and the Brethren church that we need to think, speak and act, according to our traditions, in a spirit of peace.”

Dorothy Stratton, a former professor of social work at AU and wife of the late John Stratton, one of the founders of ACN, was also on hand and added that the pole represents three specific qualities to her.

“Peace poles … (are) aspirational. It’s the way we want things to be. We want peace and we hope for peace, so it’s an aspirational statement to have one here,” she explained. “Second, they’re intentional. We intend to behave and just completely live in a way that promotes peaceful living and relationships. And third, they’re hopeful. Just the fact that so many different languages are represented. Think about it, every language has words for the concept of peacefulness. That should make us hopeful in these times where there’s so much conflict.”

Interestingly, this “new” Peace Pole’s exact origins are a bit of a mystery. It was recently discovered in storage by an employee in the facilities department, but is believed to have been gifted to the university when Fred Finks served as president of the university (2006-14).

The late Rev. Phil Lersch, who graduated from the Ashland Theological Seminary in 1958, and his wife, Jean (Lindower ’55) Lersch, are credited with the gift.

“I think some publicity about the establishment of the ACN got the attention of Phil Lersch who was in Florida. Phil got in touch with my husband, John, and was very happy such a center was being established here at AU,” Stratton recalled. “(Phil) was very interested in … the peace focus of his denomination.”

John Lersch ’79, who majored in science and physical education when attending AU, confirmed that a Peace Pole was exactly the type of philanthropy his father, a full-time minister throughout his career, would get behind.

“(Dad) played some football (here). He was known as a pretty intense competitor, but in his preaching career, he was just as passionate,” remarked Lersch. “From the pulpit and from a lot of writing and articles and correspondence with groups like this, and even the way he conducted himself with the neighborhood kids … just his whole life was always about peace.”

Now, thanks to the recently discovered gift, generations of AU students, faculty and staff will be reminded of the power of peacefulness when they walk past the Peace Pole to class or a meeting or congregate around it for a special prayer. The younger Lersch said his dad, who passed away in January 2021, would be delighted that it will serve as an opportunity to encourage peace.

“Number one, he would be a little embarrassed at the attention brought to him, but he’d be very pleased at the message of peace was going on,” said Lersch.

Slade hopes that the AU community is inspired by the Peace Pole, will follow Jesus’ lead and rise up to make a greater commitment to promote peace.

“Jesus said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ This is a silent witness, it’s broken out of storage and so should we as peacemakers … here in our community and our country. How do you activate the Peace Pole? Go out and wage peace,” Slade concluded.

Chris Davis