University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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♦ She - ♦ Gopher ♦ ♦ ♦ oF ♦ ♦ Ementu ♦ geuen ♦ 1 upon the raising of a nu ' inorial fund ot two million dollars to be used in the erection, on the campus, of an adequate and suitable auditorium; the acquisition of the land now owned by the University bounded by Oak Street, Church Street, Beacon Street, and University A enue, as an extension of the present athletic field, for enclosing the entire field with a wall and the erection thereon of a stadium. Then came a new epoch in Minnesota history. Here was the first time in the fifty- four years of her existence that students, faculties, alumni, and friends of the insti- tution were asked to make a financial sacrifice to do something worth while for the Univer- sity. The record of that campaign has been fully written; it need not be repeated here. The total amount raised on the campus by students and faculties went beyond six-hun- dred and fifty thousand dollars. Alumni and friends brought the total to more than one million seven-hundred thousand dollars. By common consent it seemed wise to build the stadium first. Land was purchased, plans drawn, the contract let, and finally ground broken March 6, 1924. It seemed inconceivable that the huge structure seating over fifty-thousand persons would be ready for the fall games. But in this instance the contractors set a new standard of efficiency, for they kept gaining on their schedule until they were ahead of their agreement by prac- ticalK- a month and maintained that lead to the close, so that not only the big games but the preliminar} ' ones as well were staged within the new structure. The Stad ium viewed from e ery stand- point — economy, size, appearance, and utility, is one of the finest and most service- able in the country. On a bleak winter day one looking o er at the deserted seats might wonder if the investment were worth while. But if this same spectator should enter the North Tower on University Avenue, and go down into the team quarters, the locker rooms, and the equipment room where the immortal Oscar holds sway, see the training quarters for track, and other teams as well as football teams, and note the completeness of the equipment he would wonder at the facilities of this all-the-year-round structure. Then let him make a tour of the interior and find on the ground floor that splendid cinder track extending clear around the Stadium, a quarter of a mile stretch for indoor track so necessary in this climate; under the seats at the side of the track ani]jle space on a dirt floor for field e ents, broad jump, high jump, pole vault, discus and shotjiut. Furthermore, in connection with the track a loop has been built so that the runner training for a distance event may make a i Tht ' [ ' onu ' u ' Livinna iuin A 1 ■„! in Campus 11 ' t riic Arthur i ' psuii Room 1 Mrmiohil rl ihr Kivcr Drive Twenly-lhree

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♦ ms i M The Cld Library Building riu- .School of Chemistry The Electrical Engineering Unit Music Building was the first to receive con- sideration. The structure was erected in 1921-22 opposite the College of Dentistry. ' o sooner had President Coffman taken the reins of the University than he began to talk to the alumni about things that they might do if they were so minded. Here was a ten-year building program ahead of the University, a generous provision of the legisla- ture, and one might have assumed that the future would be nothing but the realization of a pleasant dream. Not so. In President Burton ' s last year the University enrollment increased, not the usual ten, fifteen, or even twent}- per cent, but vaulted to the unbeliev- able height of a sixty-seven per cent advance o er any previous attendance. Here %vas a problem. The legislature had done its best for buildings, it had set a new standard for support, but it had reached the limit. A reaction was setting in. Retrenchment was the order of the day. And this was the situation that President Coffman faced. He did more than face it. He went out to meet it. He appealed to the alumni to prove their loyalty with something more than words. This was a new idea. The alumni had never been asked to render financial assistance before. Why should they? Wasn ' t this a state uni ersity supported by taxation? The - met with President Coffman. He met with them. The alumni appointed a com- mittee to study the needs of the campus that could not be met by legislative appropriation. They found a student unrest due to lack of athletic facilities. They found a lowered morale partly due undoubtedh- to the war, but partlv due to a lack of indoor space where the student body could be assembled. There was no place where the president could speak to the freshman class except out of doors, no place where commncement exercises could be held with alumni and parents of the seniors present. The committee reported that a stadium with increased playing facilities and an auditorium were the two outstanding campus needs. One of these at least could not be provided bv the legislature; the other would have to wait until after the ten-year program was finished and might not come then. Here was need for action. The opportunity came with the inauguration of Mr. Coffman as the fifth president of the University of Minne- sota in May, 1921. The alumni held a dinner on May 14 in the ball room of the Minnesota Union. The occasion was a happy one. It was felicitous and yet serious, for the following resolution was passed b - unaminous acclamation: It is the unanimous opinion of your com- mittee that the activities and interest of the faculty, students, alumni, and former students of the ITniversity of Minnesota be centered M Shevlin Hull Twenty-two

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♦ She ♦ ♦ ♦ gopher ♦ ♦ ♦ of Ementti ♦ ♦ - 5e ien ♦ 1 -- l The High-anhed Doon of the Music Building The Vine-covered Law School turn and go back along the track without breaking his stride. Then let the visitor cHmb the stairs to the second story within this great playhouse. Here he will find locker rooms, shower rooms, wrestling, boxing, and exercise rooms, ten full size four-wall handball courts, eight similar courts for squash rac- quets, rooms and equipment for orthopedics, or corrective exercise, and indoor tennis. As he approaches the South Tower he will find the offices of the football ticket manager and below quarters for visiting teams. He will note that all of this space on two floors within the Stadium is thoroughly heated and splendidly lighted, and should his ' isit fall in the afternoon of any winter day he will find the whole place a veritable bee hive of athletic activity. The Stadium externally not only serves for football games and out- door track meets, but has been indispensable in caring for the opening con ' ocation in the fall when the freshmen are welcomed to the Uni ' ersity, in the staging of pageants, etc., and has been particularly serviceable for the Commencement Exercises. Over twelve thou- sand persons attended the graduation exer- cises last spring. The old Armory where these exercises formerly were held seats two- thousand three-hundred. The Stadium is now beginning to bring returns on the investment. The first surplus is being de -oted to the purchase of the block of land across University Avenue from it, the land bordered by Nineteenth Avenue, Fourth Street, Oak Street, and University Avenue, for the purpose of a great field house where indoor space for winter sports calling for large areas can be provided. Here indoor football practice can be held, here great throngs can gather to witness our basketball games which at present unfortunateh ' must be held in the Kenwood Armory, far from the campus atmosphere. Here baseball in the early spring can be practiced. Here an ade- quate swimming pool with opportunity for spectators instead of the present cramped quarters in the old Armory. Here too a hockey rink may be provided where our team may play to a Uni ersity audience, sa ing that long trip to the Minneapolis Arena and the taking of our athletic contests off the campus. All these things are coming and largely as a result of the stadium-auditorium campaign. Meanwhile the ten-year building program continued with the erection of the New Library and the Electrical Engineering Building in iQ2.?-24, and the Cancer Institute, Todd Hospital, and Administration Building in 1924-25. And what of the auditorium? The Greater l ' ni ersit ' Corporation has not wavered in its purpo.se. It is steadily collecting money pledged in the campaign, has instructed its building committee to secure plans as quickly i Twenty-four