Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

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NORMAL OFFERING 11 The Great Fire .iliill-Q On Wednesday morning, December 10, 1924, the night watch- man, while making his last round, discovered fire behind the ceiling of the old gymnasium on the basement floor of the main building. He immediately gave the alarm on the steam whistle of the school, at the same time sending one of the boiler tenders to pull the pub- lic fire alarm. As the fire was very difficult to reach with hose streams, it soon spread out of control, and, breaking through the open stairway, went quickly to the roof. In a short time a consider- able part of the building was a seething mass of flames. When the Chief of the Bridgewater Fire Department arrived he saw that the situation was beyond the capacity of his depart- ment and he summoned help from the neighboring cities and towns. The intense heat from the burning of the scho-ol building eventually broke the windows in Tillinghast Hall, allowing the interior to be- come ignited, and that building was doomed in spite of the heroic efforts of the firemen. From Tillinghast the flames communicated to the Cottage , and, as that was a wooden building, it was soon consumed. The administration building was nearest to the burning structure and was subjected to an intense heat. Three powerful streams were directed on this building, and the fact that the build- ing is now standing is a monument to the courage and valor of the firemen. One of the striking features of the fire was the manner inwhich the students in the dormitories marched calmly to- safety, and, when it was seen that there was time, returned for their valuables under the direction of the dean of women, Miss Elizabeth S. Pope, assisted by others of the faculty and student body. There was not the slightest trace of excitement, every one attended to her own busi- ness as calmly as though it were a daily occurrence. The immediate cause of the fire is merely conjectured, but it is probable that rats and mice were respo-nsible for it. The heating ducts keep the concealed places warm at this time of year and make them good places for rodents. Matches may have been taken in

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12 NORMAL OFFERING and ignited either by the heat or by the possible gnawing of the rats, or ordinary spontaneous combustion may have occurred. Before the smouldering embers of the fire had died out, the work of re-establishing the heating plant was begun under the di- rection of Mr. George H. Varney, Business Agent of the Depart- ment of Education, and Chief Engineer Annis. An emergency ap- propriation of S'p5,000. was made available by the Governor and Council. Under the direction of Mr. John J. Kelly, dean of men, the large basement of Woodward Dormitory and the gymnasium were transferred into- classrooms. On December 17 the boilers were in working order and heat was being given to all of the build- ings. Under the direction of Miss Cora A. Newton, supervisor of training, arrangements were made to double the number of students practicing in their home towns, thus relieving the dormitory situ- ation. A new program was laid out, and on January 5, at the close of the Christmas vacation, the departments of the school reopened in their temporary quarters and all students were back to their studies with a loss of only ten school days, most of which will be made up by June. The loss of equipment in the Normal school building was com- plete, because the building filled with smoke too rapidly to permit the removal of any material. Over twelve thousand books were lost, also the very valuable collections of apparatus and working material which had taken years of effort to gather into shape. The school had to start practically afresh in all departments. The spirit of the faculty and students was so fine that things began at once to take on the old vigor and effectiveness. The year will be completed with very little real loss because of this loyal spirit of all concerned. The plans for the replacement of the buildings were started at once. The Department of Education early selected an architect, and the details for the new buildings were worked out, ready for action by the Legislature at the earliest possible moment. The wonderful responses of the graduates, both individually and as a group, brought material from every side, together with a fund of over 551700, to be used in supplying losses such as the State might not feel willing, or able, to meet. The School looks f'0l'XV2ll'd to new buildings of a modern type, equipped for the best possible professional work. y A. C. BOYDEN.