Kenyon College - Reveille Yearbook (Gambier, OH)

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One hundred years ago, on Feb- ruary 27, 1889 at approximately 4:00 a.m., a major tragedy shook Kenyon College. It was on this day that Old Kenyon burned to the ground and nine students lost their lives. Legend said that there were many old chimneys in Middle Ken- yon that had been covered up dur- ing some renovations. However, there was no memory or documen- tation of these flues at the time of the Fire. Officials now believe that the blaze began when sparks from a fireplace fire fell into one of these old flues. Gases and smoke began to accumulate in the closed chim- ney until the pressure finally blew out the walls on the third floor. Due to the heroic efforts of both he students and the townspeople, lost of the men were able to es- ape the blazing inferno. Kenyon cccived national coverage of the ragedy, and immediately support rom all over the country piled into iambier. Donations reached a rand total of $50,000. Gambier esidents, including faculty mem- ers, provided the students with belter and clothing. The trustees met shortly after nd voted to rebuild the historic uilding immediately. With the elp of various photographs, the re stones were salvaged and pre- ared for building. These stones ere placed on the new building exactly as they had been originally. However, the inside of the building was redesigned. Just recently, in the summer of 1988, Old Kenyon was renovated once again. Although the inside of the building has changed drastical- ly through a century, the outside remains the same as it was first constructed, well over one hundred years ago. This page is dedicated in memo- ry of the men who died in the fire. Legend says that the ghosts of these men can still be seen roaming the halls of this historic building.