Guardians of the Path

The monumental sculpture on Breiel Boulevard at the entrance to Miami University Middletown is entitled ""Guardians of the Path."" Education is the path to the future. The sculpture stands on one of the highest points in the Miami Valley, a path for Indians, explorers and transportation in the 19th century, including the Miami Erie Canal. The sculpture is 102 tons of poured concrete, steel reinforced, consisting of eight vertical forms, the tallest of which is 18 feet. The sculpture is non-representational. It emulates the idea of stability and grace based upon geometry and rhythm. It is not only something that one looks at - it is also something to be walked through so that a person becomes a part of the space of the sculpture. Sculptor Robert Gaston was a former faculty member in Miami's School of Fine Arts.