Auburn Adventist Academy - Rainier Vista Yearbook (Auburn, WA)

Page 20 text:

History (continued) WILLIAM LAY, principal, 1949-1951. R. W. Fowler, principal, 1951-1954. C. L. Witzel, principal, 1954-1960. During the summer South Hall was remodeled with the entire building being faced with brick to match the boys’ dormitory. The main entrance was moved trom the north to the south side. Dormitory rooms, a recreation room, and a home economics departmen occupied the basement. Plans for a new administration building were dis¬ cussed at the boys’ dormitory Open House, January 4, 1964. Construction began that year on a new A-frame chapel for the girls. . The carpentry class that year chose as a project the building of homes for faculty and staff. Five faculty homes were constructed under C. L. Witzel s direction. The woodshop, destroyed by fire in August, 1951, was replaced with metal buildings in 1952. The fi fty-first annual campmeeting for the Washing¬ ton Conference was moved from the center of the campus to the west section in the summer of 1957. At this campmeeting Elder N. R. Dower, president, an¬ nounced that a permanent auditorium would replace the large tent that had been used for many years. This auditorium, built in 1958, was later named Rainier Auditorium. In 1959 plans were made for a long-range construc¬ tion program for the Academy. It called for re-routing the streets, relocating the houses; constructing a new administration, boys’ dormitory and church, and remod¬ eling extensively. Plans for a new road to the south of the main proposed campus area were finalized, eliminat¬ ing traffic through the campus. Faculty homes were relocated in preparation for the new building program. Elder C. L. Witzel, principal and long-time staff member, resigned as principal in the summer of 1960, after having been associated with Auburn Academy at intervals since 1926. He had watched the school grow from 125 to 400 students. L. E. McClain, former dean of boys, held the position of principal from 1960-1965. During the school year 1960-1961, Dr. J. N. Howell assisted Auburn academy in receiving accreditation with the State of Washington. Groundbreaking for the new $250,000 administration building was held on May 4, 1964. The new building placed south of the girls’ dormitory, featured 11 classrooms, teachers’ offices, assembly hall, laboratory, administration and counseling area, and a library. Don Kirkman was the architect for all the buildings. RAINIER AUDITORIUM is used for sports and cultural programs during the school year and serves as the main pavilion during campmeeting. 16

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wm Spillman. This building, South Hall, was designed to accommodate 110 girls. The top floor was completed in the 1947-1948 school year; the main floor was finished in time for the 1948-1949 school year. One hundred fifteen girls were housed in the building. The lower floor, containing a worship room, recreation room, and cafeteria, was completed in 1949. With the girls in new quarters, the upper floor of East Hall was converted to staff apartments. Regina Hall was changed from a girls’ to a boys’ dormitory in 1949 and was renamed Manous Hall in memory of N. L. Manous, music and Spanish teacher, 1945-1947, who later died while teaching in Chilean Training School, Chile. The girls’ club was named ZETA KAPPA, meaning “Beauty of Character.” The boys’ club, CASA LOMA, meaning “Loyal to the Royal in Thyself,” had been functioning for some years. A power plant utilizing what the sawdust from the furniture factory for fuel, was the second building on the new campus at this time. The old dining room in the basement of the adminis¬ tration building was converted into a large library during this period, and the kitchen area was remodeled and changed to modem science laboratories, providing expanded classrooms for the school program. Ground breaking ceremonies for the new boys’ dormitory were held on January 21, 1962. The three- story brick structure, containing two deans’ apartments, a large worship room, a recreation room, guest room facilities and rooms for 176 boys, was ready for the 1962-1963 school year. A modem cafeteria, built on the old Rainier Auditori- um site, was completed toward the close of the school year 1962-1963. It was named Rudolph Hall in memory of Miss Irene Rudolph, whose generosity made the building possible. RAINIER GYMNASIUM served the students and constituency from 1943 until 1963. 1947-1948 and had room for 110 girls. ELDER DON Spillman, board chairman, drives the tractor to break ground for South Hall. 15

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GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES were not uncommon for Elder L. E. McClain, former principal of Auburn Academy, and Elder N. R. Dower, former president of the Washington Conference. Witzel Hall, Rudolph Hall, Nelson Hall (remodel¬ ing), Evergreen Chapel, and the administration building were erected during their administrations. 17