By Steven Blodgett
Lawrence Today magazine, Summer 2003
Editor's Note: This June marks the 150th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of Main Hall. In recognition of this anniversary and the unique role one building and what it stands for has had in the life of the college, Lawrence Today undertakes a brief look at the Main Hall of yesterday and today. We are pleased to present in this issue as well reflections by two long-time Main Hall denizens, Professors William Chaney and Daniel Taylor, '63, on the college and its people, as seen from the halls of Main.
"Let us then, when we gaze upon its symmetry, reflect upon its age and, when we hear recounted the days gone by, allow the sense of all it stands for to flood in upon us. . . ." The Lawrentian, January 19, 1905, author unknown
For nearly a century and half, Main Hall has stood as a beacon on that comparatively small parcel of land above the Fox River that is the Lawrence campus, illuminated first by lamplight emanating from individual windows as students studied into the night and subsequently by flood light on its Bostonian neo-classic exterior. The most prominent and notable architectural feature of the campus, Main Hall has been the symbol for generations of students and alumni of a Lawrence education, a physical manifestation of the history, traditions, and aspirations of the college.
As Elizabeth Meating Proctor, '30, wrote in the Spring 1979 issue of Lawrence Today, Main Hall's beginnings were not entirely auspicious for a building that would become the intellectual and spiritual cornerstone of the college.
Plans were laid and expectations were high as construction began in 1853. A "circular" of the Board of Trustees that was published in the local newspaper of the time said, "A large and elegant stone edifice for the college proper, is now in progress of erection. One hundred-twenty by 60 feet, five stories high, including the basement, this building will contain a Chapel, a Library, Lecture and Apparatus Rooms, and 30 dormitories for students and will be completed during the ensuing year." The circular ended with the inducement, "Patrons and friends! Send us your sons and your daughters, they will be both well cared for and faithfully and efficiently instructed."
At the formal dedication ceremonies in 1854 [pictured, above right], with distinguished visitors from across the state in attendance, the hastily constructed speaker's platform collapsed and, as Marguerite Schumann, '44, relates in Creation of a Campus, whale oil from a lamp spewed over President Edward Cooke's famous silk top hat as the dignitaries tumbled to the ground. At the first chapel service within the completed building, the gallery, which was suspended from the ceiling by steel rods, began to move and separate from the wall, to the consternation of worshipers.
Despite these somewhat shaky beginnings, Main Hall soon lived up to the expectations for it — at the laying of the cornerstone on June 28, 1853, the Rev. Alfred Brunson anticipated "a university building, which when finished, will compare favorably with any similar one in the United States, if not in the world" — and quickly became the center of campus life — quite literally. For 32 years, it was the only building on the Lawrence campus, following the 1857 fire that destroyed the original "Institute" building that was located where the Appleton YMCA now stands and before the construction of the Ormsby residence hall for women in 1889.
Although the white-column porticos and the flagpole atop the cupola were added later and the rooftop chimneys removed, early graduates of the college would have no trouble recognizing Main Hall today. It is, as it has been from the onset, the most distinguishing landmark of the college.
Long gone, however, are the old Philalathean Hall, the fourth-floor meeting rooms where the four literary societies held orations and debates, and the chapel where a memorial service for Abraham Lincoln was held and the college's first officially sanctioned theatre performance — the "Hiawatha Pantomime" — was produced in 1884. The science lab benches, the living quarters, the library bookshelves, and the studio with three pianos that constituted Lawrence's music department in the late 19th century all gradually migrated to other buildings.
Those later years of the 19th century brought other changes to Main Hall as well. As the Appleton Post reported in March 1886, "Lawrence University does not propose to be left behind in this progressive age and has accordingly made arrangements to employ the system of electric illumination." As a result, Main Hall became the first college building in the nation to have electric lighting.
An editorial in the April 1886 Lawrentian spoke of the many advantages that electric light would bring, including the fact that "our olfactory nerves will no longer be assailed with the abominable odor of smoky lanterns when we enter the halls from the pure outdoor air." The paper also noted that the improved illumination "will be of great advantage to the large crowd of young gentlemen who linger to see the ladies go by after prayer meeting, as they will be able to distinguish their respective partners with much less trouble than heretofore." The Lawrentian concluded, "In the change we see lighter nights as well as brighter days for 'Old Lawrence.'"
During the tenure of President Samuel Plantz, one of the first of what were to be several renovations was undertaken. Hardwood floors were laid, and the cupola was partially rebuilt and a flagpole added. Grecian porticos with white pillars were constructed on the north front and at the east and west entrances. Three new recitation rooms were created — indeed, for a time the building was called "Recitation Hall" — and a "modern" physical laboratory was added in the basement. Work was completed just in time for the January 20, 1897 semi-centennial of the college.
A 1941 renovation replaced the narrow stairs in the foyer with a more pleasing broad center staircase with new posts and railings of Swedish iron, subsequently remembered fondly as a focal point where students would gather before and after class. Classrooms were replastered and repainted, and a new system for steam distribution, including radiators, was installed. Automatic temperature control and the provision of a more uniform supply of heat were seen as a significant step forward. All of this was accomplished despite the "shortage of skilled labor, government priorities, and the prevailing difficulty in securing practically all commodities."
In 1953, and in preparation for Main Hall's centennial celebration, the building underwent other improvements. The wooden-floored corridor of the first floor was supplanted by a concrete slab surfaced with quarry tile, and accounts of that renovation claim that Main Hall had now been outfitted with all the "new-fangled accessories," including green blackboards and fluorescent lighting. A new "back porch" with four Ionic pilasters and cascading steps, added the year before, served to enhance the south face of the building.
A major renovation in the 1970s, supported by a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, brought other changes: the central staircase gave way to a more practical and efficient elevator, the fire escapes on the south side of the building were removed, and new stairways were installed at the east and west ends of the building. At a cost of $1.4 million, the renovation that was completed in 1979 was billed as "the first ground to roof remodeling of Main since it was built 126 years ago."
Smaller classrooms were created for more individualized instruction and the number of seminar rooms tripled from three to nine. Faculty members were accorded larger offices to meet with students and the reputed "cubbyholes" that existed were made more tenable. The exterior was completely repainted and a plaque recognizing Main Hall's recent entry on the National Register of Historic Places was placed by the front entrance.
A room off the lobby, intended for special meetings and conferences and to be used for "receptions, teas, and dialogue with visiting professors," was constructed. Conceived of as the "1850 Drawing Room" and subsequently named the Class of 1857 Room (more commonly to be called the Alumni Room), this space contained a fireplace, comfortable furniture, period illustrations and paintings, and a chandelier. As a precursor of things to come, the basement was partially converted to permit the creation of a social science laboratory with several computer terminals, an initial venture into the new realm of information technology for educational use.
One of the oddest features of the '70s renovation was the "Romper Room," reputedly inspired by former Dean of Academic Affairs Thomas Headrick. The second-floor "Romper Room," also familiarly known as the "padded cell," was half classroom and half student lounge and was outfitted with no chairs or desks, just raised carpeted platforms or "steps" for students to lounge on that mirrored the carpeted floor and walls. As described in the Fall 1979 issue of Lawrence Today, the room "contrasts sharply with the sedate, conservative mood of the rest of the building . . . here students can study, relax, chat, and attend classes." Or, as one student wag put it, "the '60s have come to Main Hall."
When the cost of the renovation was paid in full on June 30, 1980, then freshman president Richard Warch commented that "the renovation has brought Main Hall into the late 20th century." The completion of the renovation was celebrated with a rededication on November 29, 1979, the same day as Warch's formal installation as the 14th president of the college.
One of the more significant attributes of the '70s renovation, at least for the college's sense of ceremony, was the repair of the cupola. The Main Hall bell, which once summoned Lawrentians to 6:00 a.m. prayers and classes, sounded the celebration of V-E Day, and heralded President Nathan M. Pusey's appointment to Harvard, had long gone silent. Structural weaknesses in the belfry had made it dangerous, if not impossible, to carry on Lawrence's bell-ringing tradition. With the repairs made, the Main Hall bell would sound again. Allegedly, the cupola had also once welcomed a cow led to the belfry by prankish students, and one can still find there today a variety of carvings, which students had made over the years as a kind of "Kilroy was here" record of their (illegal) entry.
In the years following the consolidation of Lawrence College and Milwaukee-Downer College in 1964, many of the traditions and treasures of M-DC migrated from Milwaukee to the Appleton campus, including, in October 1975, the Milwaukee-Downer sundial, which was installed above the south entrance door to Main Hall.
A four-year renovation project completed in 2002 brought new enhancements and a much-needed facelift to Main Hall. The cupola was repainted, new windows were installed throughout the building, and the front and side entrance portico columns were replaced. Inside, classrooms, faculty offices, and hallways underwent refurbishment. Care was taken to ensure that the renovations and the materials used served to reinforce and not detract from the traditional look of the building.
An advanced Humanities Computing Laboratory, which opened in 2000, replaced the outdated Main Hall 109 lecture hall on the first floor and a new, technology-equipped lecture hall was constructed on the second floor.
Supervised by a full-time director, the Humanities Computing Laboratory contains two instructor computers that are connected to a ceiling-mounted projector for demonstrating programs and showing PowerPoint presentations. Twenty student machines, each of which is connected to the campus computing network, are available for individual use and classroom applications. The lab houses more than 40 specialized software programs, such as Sans-Faute, an interactive writing environment for French; a CD-ROM for studying various aspects of the Qur'an; several new Chinese and Japanese language programs; and a logic program for philosophy. While the new lab serves all faculty members and students in the humanities, it has proven particularly useful for foreign language instruction.
Following the practice adopted in the construction of Briggs and Science Halls and in the remodeling of Youngchild, the Alumni Room was refurbished and converted into a student commons, to serve as a study area and gathering place for students and faculty between classes. The John G. Strange Student Commons, located off the lobby, contains a sofa and armchairs, several comfortable study areas with polished wood tables, and two computer stations exclusively for student use. One of the more interesting pictorial features of the room are reproductions of early photographs (ambrotypes) of the seven members of the first graduating class in 1857, one of the four men and the other (acquired several years ago) of the three women.
The first-floor Hiram A. Jones Latin Library, which has served for many years as the home of the classics department and the office of Hiram A. Jones Professor of Classics Dan Taylor, '63, also underwent a complete makeover, while retaining, under Professor Taylor's watchful eye, its adherence to ancient motifs as expressed in the frieze and crown molding adorning the walls. The classical antiquities and busts, which at times appear to passersby to be staring out the window at them, have remained.
The interior features of the building are not the only changes Main Hall has experienced over the years. Until Stephenson Hall was built in 1889, Main housed all of the college's academic disciplines. In more recent years, it was home to the humanities and several of the social science departments, with faculty offices and classrooms in each of those areas intermingled throughout the building. Today, with the construction of Lucia R. Briggs Hall for mathematics and the social sciences, Main Hall houses only the humanities disciplines — the departments of English, history, philosophy, religious studies, classics, East Asian languages and cultures, Russian, French, Spanish, and German.
Alumni who visit campus and wander the impressive new hallways of Main Hall may discover another difference from their days at Lawrence. While they still may encounter history professor emeritus William Chaney in his corner office or run into Dorrit Friedlander, who after more than a half century at Lawrence, is still going strong teaching young students the nuances of the German language, gone but not forgotten are countless other beloved professors and mentors — such as Anne Jones, Albert Trever, and George Smalley, whose personal legacies are still associated with Main Hall in the minds of countless generations of alumni.
Today, as faculty members retire and new professors take their place, a new breed of Main Hall faculty is emerging. Of the 49 faculty members who had offices in Main Hall this past academic year, 70 percent have joined the Lawrence faculty since 1990. Like their predecessors, many of these younger faculty will certainly develop their own legacies in time and add, in their own way, to future reminiscences of Main Hall.
Through all the cosmetic changes and comings and goings of faculty and students, one essential and unalterable reality persists. Main Hall is, and will likely remain, the embodiment of liberal education at Lawrence. Graduates of 1930, 1970, or 2000 alike remember Main Hall, not only for the shape or look of the classrooms or hallways within, but as a place for and symbol of the pursuit of knowledge and understanding shared with classmates and teachers.
Jim Fieweger, '43, writing in the Alumnus in 1953, put it succinctly when he wrote: "As I remember back to the Main Hall I knew ten years ago, I find it isn't the building that stands out in my mind, it's the people and friends I made who were associated with it."
When the Main Hall bell rings to announce the faculty procession at the Matriculation Convocation each September, new students at the college come to recognize, as generations of Lawrentians before them did, that they have undertaken a different type of journey, one that will in so many as yet to be understood or appreciated ways have a lasting impact on their lives.
When the Main Hall bell rings again at Commencement, graduates are reminded that they are about to embark on yet another journey, carrying with them the skills and appreciation for lifelong learning that Lawrence has instilled in them.
After nearly a century and a half, the beacon that is Main Hall shines bright, a beacon that will continue to guide the college in years to come.