Georgia State University - Rampway Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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e bHGME5e' ' Y A N ' Ag f ' V f Sparks realizes rafdream ' ' - S - 1955-present-33 GilrizerrS'treef'Bz1ildi11g renanled: Sliiurkr Hall 5 A Students, faculty,,and many friends dreamed galongftogether lvvith Dr. ,Sparks in the plan of a completely new building for the College! First, the dreamiwas -envisioned, as a fourteen-story H-shaped building with bell-towerq But the reality, at last put ciithe drawing boards, and-approved by theRegents, became theemulti-purpose College building, onthe corner of Gilmer and Courtland'St.g four storieswhousing an executivesuite, deans' andother offices, a clinic, cafeteria, student lounge, conference, room, bookstorefclassrooms and library.'Called atffirst 35 Gilmer Street Buildi ing, it Was renamed Sparks Hall by action of the Boardlof Regents, June.8, 1960, and a bronze tablet placed near theaentrance lobby speaks ofxthe commemorationri ' C p. 1 ,W g' .. ' ' S' , Dr. Sparks had to' fight toiobtain the land one which to build the 733 Gilmer Street Building. The City had earmarked this property for the Fire Signal Station. Withefmuch maneuvering and diplomacy Dr., Sparks :obtained the' .property for the Regents, and the Fire Signal Station vvaserected across thestreet. p 1 i y - is S ,C , In 1953, Governor Herman E. Talmadge broke the ground for the new building, but it wisnoraumii 1955ethat the buildingcwasqready for occupancy. Since then both the 24 Ivy Street and the 55 Gilmer Street Building have been in use. . V t , ' .I X t V 'L f x' g , - . 'F TT'S'7r ' r , i -.f 4,-1, -- , fci Q lg- i W, I X , ' at i f t f ,Class in Spf1rkrHf1!l1 'S ' c - srL1denrL0rmgeinfh51aie,'5oi'Qii-g

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x ' , , 1 ' 1938-1946 162 Lnrkib Slreef Building -. 1 X tc Q Purchased in 1945, and in useipresently, this six-story com- bination office and garage building originally contained 187,700 square feet. The sixth floor was extended and a seventh story added later. Of brick and reinforced concrete, the back was constructed in elevenlevels connected with double .patented ramps. An elevator and stairway connected the six main floorsi - - o ' ' To finance the purchase of thepbuilding, Dr. Sparks borrowed 3lS600,000 in unrestricted trust- funds 'from the State Auditor at four per cent, with-the Regents' permission, who also authorized the purchase of the garage office building. To complete the transaction legally they author- ized the organization of three corporations with Dr. Sparks as President of eachg one to liquidate the assets of the garage, ' one to operate the office building, and one to take over the other two corporations. . . The first classroom finished was on theifirst immediate level fspace now occupied, by .Alpha Phif and Zeta Tau-V Alpha Sororitiesj and was occupied ,several weeks before others by a class in Mathematics taught by W.pC. Cantrell. 'x v ' ' A p The old square U-shaped Georgia Baptist Hos- pital, on the corner of Luckie and Techwood, was purchased in 1938 forthe mounting enrollments of day and evening classes, Its fifty rooms, re- modeledrinto classrooms, chemistry- and other lab- oratories, library, assembly room, clinic, penthouse for the Art Department of that day and student recreation areas also used for indoor sports, wiped out alltraces. of the former hospital. Its'court-yard, enclosed with brick wall and lighted grillwork gate, was fused' not only for an approach, to the terrace at the entrance, and fog sunning on warm, clear, days, but furnished the settingxfor formal occasions such as the junior Collegexgraduation, and was used by classes in Physical Education. The W.P.A., courtesy of the late Governor Eugene Talmadge, helped' in the. remodeling processes, and 'student 'labor Vex- cavated the leftpwing ground floor area into afrec- reation center, small refectory, and rifle range added during World War II. p - 7 , AY W ' f ' n , 1 I , 'ri , L- A - - 11.1.-.s it 1.-.1 it - u , ... H , 'rm di. us.. I 1 r x,a5f- -'ff:N'i ' - Nr r 711'--l'1--I-mm in miriam LI Ill U S 24 !Ivy Street Building-1945-present It ,N

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'N Q' , . -4512 't'-. 'fit' .Aifcountry campus of around twenty acres was purchased as a recreational area in the late '50's when the College was located at 162 Luckie Streetg many classes andssorganizations have enjoyed outings there--square dances, weiner roastsg picnicsg swimming or tennis. A 'i ,Q V Miss julia Sparks, Dr. Sparks sister, served as hostess formany years without compensation. ' i The property was bought with profits from students' purchases in the refectoryf and donations from classes improved the premises.. In recent years several families have hosted the Lodge, including the jack Stone familyf the Herbert Burgess family, and the Bob Pattillo family. l ..-. --,A I l Presidents Home V . f Y . X v , Q V ' .'- ' . F244--J: ' 15 I ' 'Y J . ',.ti'f 'I A ' Sf- 4 .' Indian Creek Lodge This spacious homeyati 3807 Tuxedo Road, N .W., was purchased by the Regents for the Presidents use following the appointment of Noah N. 'Lang- dale, jr., to that position in 1957. Q 7 Faculty and students gather here for receptions and other social occasions presided over by Dr. Langdale and his gracious wife. i i ' ,, X