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From Left to Right: 1)Pumpkin Carving! 2)Flash from the Past! 3)Coming Soon 4)Coming Soon

Kohler Hall, seven stories high and nicknamed the "high-rise dorm," was first occupied in September, 1967 by 125 women. It remained a women's residence hall until the 1974-75 school year. At the dedication, several items unique to 1967 were placed in the copper cornerstone box: several commemorative stamps of the year (Davy Crockett, Henry Thoreau and an astronaut making a space walk), and a bright copper penny minted in 1967. Other artifacts included a copy of "Kohler Hall Philosophy and Proposals for Use of Facilities," a rooming list of the first 125 women to occupy the building, and a sheet of instructions for using the new key card system. Kohler residents were able to gain access to the building after normal closing hours by inserting a sensitized card into a slot which automatically opened the main entrance. Kohler was the first dormitory at Lawrence to have key privileges.

Marguerite Schumann '44, Director of Publicity and Publications, wrote that "in response to student wishes for privacy in their social life, the design includes a number of small-scale public rooms instead of a few large ones. In Kohler Hall there is a living room on each of its seven floors, there are eight kitchens for student use, and seven other public-access rooms of varying sizes and functions". The inside of the building was described as a "pillar of white-white walls in every room, white draperies at every window-and against the white has been laid the subtle tones of autumn earth, forest and sky." While the student rooms were white, the inner area of each floor had a key color which was repeated in the living room furniture and carpet, the bath and the kitchenette.

Ruth DeYoung Kohler, after whom the building is named, was a trustee of Lawrence University from 1945 until her death in 1953. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa cum laude from Smith College, she pursued a career in journalism as a member of the Chicago Tribune reporting staff, ultimately serving as women's editor from 1933-37. During this time, she covered the women's view of three national political conventions and conducted an annual Women's Congress on current affairs which brought to Chicago speakers of international renown. After her marriage to Herbert V. Kohler, she became an expert on Wisconsin frontier history and authored two books on Wisconsin history. She also organized a major historical display for the Wisconsin state centennial and supervised for the Kohler Foundation the restoration of Wade House, a 19th century wayside inn at Greenbush.

Kohler Hall currently houses 120 male and female students.

Student Staff

The fabulous Kohler RLAs work hard to create a positive and vibrant community where our students can establish great friendships and feel at home.

Click here to find out more!

Professional Staff

Each residence hall is staffed with a Residence Hall Director whose responsibility is to oversee the operation of the hall and all programs connected with a specific hall.

Click here to find out more about the current RHD's!

Hall Council!

Hall Council is a representative group of students, with elected officers open to all residents of a community.  They strive to support the mission of residence life, take action to improve the quality of life and foster community ownership and pride.  Hall Council hears the concerns of residents and works to address those concerns by utilizing community resources to plan activities and purchase items, promote community respect and accountability, and establish clear and consistent communication among appropriate members of the Lawrence community.  As a result Hall Council empowers residents to stay informed about and invested in the development of their community and serves as a leadership opportunity for students.

In past years we have made Hall T-shirts, eaten gallons of ice cream at Baskin Robbins or Coldstone Lock-Ins, kept nourished with Finals Food, releived stress by Lazer Tag, practiced our coordination with All-Hall Bowling, purchased DVDs for the Hall, played fifty hours of TRIVA straight and much, much more! To get involved, please contact you current Residence Hall Director or Residence Life Advisor!