Western Michigan University - Brown and Gold Yearbook (Kalamazoo, MI)

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The old Playhouse — home of the Western Players in 1921. The Temporary building lasted from 1918 to 1953. fall term, but they formed an athletic association early in October. Only six students had ever play- ed football, but they were enthusiastic about get ' ting up a game with the High School. Waldo had a strong interest in athletics and he backed the group, promising them a paid football coach as soon as funds were available. No schedules were entered into, but occasional football, basketball and baseball games were played and some track events held. The students organized two literary groups, one for men and one for women. These were the fore- runners of the social fraternities and sororities that came years later. The Rural Sociology Seminar was founded, and under another name is the oldest student group in the college today. A Young Womens Christian Association was also begun at this time. At the end of the term, plans were made for the commencement week, which began on Sunday with a baccalaureate sermon. Class day exercises and a school picnic were held Tuesday. The fac- ulty held a reception for the seniors on Wednes- day evening. On Thursday morning in the city ' s new public school on Vine Street, life certificates were given to four women and four others re- ceived three year rural certificates. The first grad- uating class then left Western State Normal School. From these beginnings. Western grew. The building on top of Prospect Hill was under con- struction beginning in the summer of 1904. It was finished by the fall of 1905. The administrative offices moved in on September 1, and Western had its own home. The same year the state, con- XlVO Material Growth stantly prodded by Waldo, appropriated $60,000 for a gym and $12,000 for additional class rooms. These additions were built onto the main building, and all three were joined together. They were first opened for use in the spring of 1908. At this time a railroad was built up Prospect Hill to serve The Library, finished in 1925 and Walwood Union, 1938.

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The old Administration nearing completion during the summer of 1905. unique among normal schools of the country. No other normal school has such a department, al ' though the idea is endorsed by welhknown men . . . Our plan will be different from that of any other normal school. To head this new and im ' portant department, Waldo appointed Ernest Burnham, who was to be a valuable teacher at Western until his retirement in 1940. Waldo secured other faculty members, some of them on a temporary basis, and on June 27, 1904, Western became a functioning institution. There were eleven faculty members and 117 students, coming from thirteen Michigan counties, enrolled for the six week session. The students were pleased with the new school and with the cordiality of the staff. After the summer school closed, there were still plenty of problems to be solved. The most urgent was that of finding buildings. Then came the selection of qualified teachers for several of the first appointments had been for the summer only. Rooms were found in four different buildings, including the city high school, the Methodist Church House, the Y.M.C.A., and in the old Kalamazoo College building between Lovell and South streets. The latter housed most of the classes, and all of the administration, which con ' sisted of Waldo and one secretary. Seven new teachers were hired, and the first fall term of the school opened on Monday, September 26, 1904, with an enrollment of 107 students. This was the time when the school really began, for the six week summer session did net include many of the usual things associated with a regular normal school. Numerous faculty committees were appointed to handle questions concerning the course of study, the year book, the bulletin, athletics, a teachers bureau, lectures, entertainments, and students ' ac ' commodations. That fall the school colors, brown and gold, were selected by a committee, and an- other one offered five dollars for the best school song written to the tune of the Heidleberg Stein Song. School spirit was evidenced in various ways, especially when the classes got into a bitter and open war over which of the class colors should fly over the building. The Juniors gave the Seniors a reception when the argument was over, and thus the first Junior ' Senior dinner dance might be said to have taken place. There were only twenty men enrolled in the 10

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' ' »£ f - ' ' ..a C T iis uias tAe campus. the students and visitors. It should be remembered that there were no dormitories, all students lived in rooming houses at the foot of the hill, and thus, had to climb it daily. The Normal Railroad was used for years and was famous until after World War II, when it was discontinued. The next building that was needed was a train ' ing school. The city schools were used from the beginning, but this arrangement was due to expire by 1909. Therefore, Waldo got $60,000 from the state to build the training school, which was opened in 1909. After this, nothing was built until 1913 when funds of $7 ' 5 ' ,000, for a science building and $10,000, for its equipment were appropriated. A central heating plant was needed, and $40,000 was marked for its construction. Both buildings were completed in the spring of 1915. That year the legislature voted $480,000 for permanent improve ' ments at Western, but the war interfered, and the ambitious program was not carried out. During the war, the U.S. government built barracks to house the Student Army Training Corps, but the end of the war, in 1918, came before the barracks were used. It was converted into classrooms, and irony named the building Temporary but neces ' sity forced it to be used until torn down in 1953. The fall of 1921 saw the opening of the Manual Trades building, and that year the legislature ap ' propriated another $480,000 for a library and a men ' s gym. The library was finished in 1925 ' and dedicated in June. The men ' s gym had been started after the library, but was finished at the same time, and dedicated with the h ' brary. As the number of buildings grew, so did the size of the campus. Starting with twenty acres, land was acquired in several directions so that eventually the campus included fiftyseven acres before Wab do retired. No further building or acquisition of land took place for some time after 1925. The college con- tinued to grow in other ways, as will be told later, but it was not until the retirement of president Waldo in 1936, and the appointment of Paul V. Sangren to that position, that the building prO ' gram started again. The depression had caused a drop in enrollment and the money available from the state was curtailed. Indeed, the college was almost closed by the state, but this short sighted economy move was blocked. In December of 1936, the State Board approved the construction of a football field and stadium, which was estimated to cost $196,000. Of this sum, the Federal government provided $162,000 and the college sold some land to the State High ' way Department for $36,000. A baseball field and grandstands were added. This completed the ath ' letic plant in 1939. Very few colleges the size of Western, either at that time or the present, have outdoor athletic faciHties of this size. Western still had no dormitories, so it was de ' cided to build a combination Union building and girls ' dormitory, wthich Vv as finished by the fall of 1938 and named Walwood Hall. A men ' s dormi ' tory, Vandercook Hall, was also built plus a stu ' dent health and personnel building. Both of these were partly built with Federal money as P.W.A. projects. Another women ' s dormitory was plan ' ned and built by the end of 1940 — Spindler Hall. During 1940, two more buildings were started. A gift of $60,000 from the Upjohn Unemploy ' ment Trust was used to construct the Mechanical Trades Building. The Theater was completed in 1942, and the old mill (which stood by the side of the temporary building) was torn down. The mill had been used as a theater for some time. Early in 1944, the college was given $50,000 by Mrs. Anna C. Kanley, widow of a Kalamazoo business man, for the purchase of land lying west of the railroad tracks. President Sangren took 12