One of the figures depicted in the mural recently removed from Maine's Labor Department is 1902 Mt. Holyoke graduate and former U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins.

PORTLAND (AP) _ The president of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts has sent a scathing letter
to the governor of Maine for removing a mural from the Department of Labor headquarters that included an image of 1902 graduate and former U.S. Labor Secretary Frances Perkins.

Lynn Pasquerella faxed a letter Tuesday outlining "grave concerns'' about Gov. Paul LePage's decision to remove the 36-foot mural from the lobby and to rename departmental conference rooms now named for labor leaders, including Perkins.

"She's one of our most distinguished alumna and has done so much to meet the demands of social justice," Pasquerella told MPBN.

Pasquerella says she was surprised to hear that LePage was influenced by an anonymous letter comparing the mural to North Korean political propaganda. It depicts mill workers, shipbuilders, labor strikes and child laborers.

Pasquerella said removing the mural "conjures thoughts of the rewriting of history prevalent in totalitarian regimes.'' LePage says it's biased in favor of organized labor.

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