diff --git a/main/Scene-load.cc b/main/Scene-load.cc
index 6b18a9d..5a70bc6 100644
--- a/main/Scene-load.cc
+++ b/main/Scene-load.cc
@@ -15,18 +15,17 @@ void Scene::load(const char * filename)
     refptr<Node> node = parse(filename);
     processNode(node);
 
-    Transform transform;
-    transform.translate(0, 2, 0);
-
+#if 0
     refptr<Material> m = new Material();
     refptr<Shape> shape = new Sphere(0.5);
-    shape->setTransform(transform);
+    shape->setTransform(m_transforms.top());
     shape->setMaterial(m);
     m_shapes.push_back(shape);
 
     refptr<Light> light = new PointLight();
     light->setPosition(Vector(2, -1, 2));
     m_lights.push_back(light);
+#endif
 
 #if 0
     Transform transform;
diff --git a/shapes/Shape.cc b/shapes/Shape.cc
index 5211c00..7f496de 100755
--- a/shapes/Shape.cc
+++ b/shapes/Shape.cc
@@ -5,10 +5,18 @@
 #include <utility>
 using namespace std;
 
+static refptr<Material> default_material;
+static bool default_material_initialized = false;
+
 Shape::Shape()
 {
     m_transparency = 0.0;
-    m_material = new Material(Material::white);
+    if (default_material_initialized == false)
+    {
+        default_material = new Material();
+        default_material_initialized = true;
+    }
+    m_material = default_material;
 }
 
 Shape::~Shape()
diff --git a/util/Material.cc b/util/Material.cc
index c70d95c..f541fbe 100644
--- a/util/Material.cc
+++ b/util/Material.cc
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 
 #include "Material.h"
 
-const Material Material::white = Material();
-
 Material::Material()
 {
     m_ambient_color = Color::white;
diff --git a/util/Material.h b/util/Material.h
index a5af021..63f2d73 100644
--- a/util/Material.h
+++ b/util/Material.h
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 class Material
 {
     public:
-        /* static members */
-        static const Material white;
-
         Material();
 
         void setAmbientColor(const Color & ambient)