Bluefield State College - Blueprint Yearbook (Bluefield, WV)

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aR Pass aes ohee Saba ri ae S43 The Blue Demons fade into the background. On he : aos: May 8, 1981, Dr. Dugger announced Bluefield State Pee, ee would no longer field an intercollegiate football team. Below: The Blue Demons in action. (Big Blues) ig PR ASS aah a te | “The Blue Demons” HOMECOMING PARADE? Left: Traditionally Bluefield State College used to have a homecoming parade with all the trimmings. Floats would adorn the streets of downtown Bluefield. Marching bands and clowns joined in the fun. Unfor- tunately, when the football team faded into the background — the parade ended and Bluefield State saw the last of marching bands and paper flowers.

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BLUEFIELD STATE COLLEGE BLUEFIELD STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE BLUEFIELD COLORED INSTITUTE “TRANSITIONS” Since the beginning, the institute now known as Bluefield State College has been an institute full of change. In 1905, while operat- ing under the title of Bluefield Colored Institute, the college was not actually a college, but rather a high school. With the aid of the Negro Advisory Council, the school was raised to Junior College status in 1920 with R.P. Sims acting as the first president of the advancing institute. Then on August 20, 1922, Bluefield Colored Institute was authorized by the state board to offer full college courses. Seven years later, the class of 1929, consisting of four men and four women, graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees. From there the institute trudged on assuming new titles and add- ing to its college curriculum.

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+8 J bt iets dS mae ee ae ae Ee vila a i i (} Aue ait pEee mt itt ane inh fant : ine er it , mig iS Lannea We Pant Above: Conley Hall the oldest building on campus. Below: Aview of Mahood Hall (then the women’s dorm) from the front of Conley Hall. Notice the flag pole and circle driveway. re 3 BLUEFIELD STALE TEACHERS COLLL Established as the Bluefield Colored Institute by act of the Legislature in 1895. Later the school.became’ an institu- tion of higher learning for Negroes. Renamed and given its apace Ue i a In 1931, the name of the institute was changed to Bluefield State Teachers College. Bluefield State be- gan to expand its campus. Construction on the campus: In 1930 Conley Hall was erected. It then housed the Science Department and its labs, English Department, Business Depart- ment, Administrative offices, and the business of- fices. The library was located in Mahood Hall. On the morning of April 23, 1937, a fire raged through the building virtually consuming the entire library col- lection. Construction of a new library began next to Conley Hall and on December 3, 1938, the new building was dedicated. On January 10, 1970, an addition to the library was approved. Dickason Hall was dedicated in 1952 with an addi- tion being approved in the fall of 1970. The addition now houses the computer center and nurses center. Construction of the Student Union began in 1962 and was finished by the 1963-64 academic year. In 1966, the Health and Physical Education Build- ing was built. In 1970, construction of the Basic Science Build- ing began. Before 1970, the site was occupied by Arter Hall, the old gymnasium, which was demol- ished. The building was opened for use in the fall of 1971. The Science Department was moved to Basic Science after a chemist almost destroyed Conley Hall when he combined the wrong ingredients. Ma- hood Hall was remodeled and the Business Depart- ment was moved from Conley Hall to Mahood Hall.