William Penn University - Quaker Yearbook (Oskaloosa, IA)

Page 13 text:

Time to Flourish . . . With the eruption of World War I, many Yankee boysw went off to win the war. To commemorate the sacrifice of those who failed to return from their grim mission, the southeast and southwest gateways were presented to the college by the classes of 1918, 1919 and 1920. During the dark times of the depression years, the gift of a new chapel by Mrs. Mary E. Spencer inspired confidence in the future of the college. Constructed in memory of H.L. Spencer, a prominent Oskaloosa businessman,the chapel was dedicated February 18, 1923. A 1922 saw the organization of the lowa football conference with Penn College as a charter member. By 1930, Penn had managed to grab the conference title. A memorial gift in the form of a 300-acre farm was presented to the college after World War Il by Mrs. Ella Peasley in memory of her husband who attended Penn during the early l880's. Adjoining the campus, the farm also provided the Gibbs House for the co1lege's use. Redecorated and refurnished, Peasley Hall provided the first menls dorm for the new campus. Though first leased as a dairy farm, the land later was subdivided into a housing section with 15 acres re- served for campus expansion and over 26 acres for natural woods. The Peasley Gift was valued at 347,000 The l940,s presented Penn with its greatest and most critical test. By the l950's, a reshaping of the program on the basis of lessons learned in experiences of success and failure was undertaken. With the sale of the old gym in 1946 to a church for use as a parochial school, a large room on the ground floor of Penn Hall was used for indoor sports. 1956 witnessed the reality of a new college gymnasium as part of a cooperative city-college operation. The city's need for a new senior high school helped aid the cause when land for the high school campus was contributed by the college and use of the gym was offered for varsity games. By 1960, William Penn College regained its N.C.A. accreditation and continued to improve and expand. A new boys' dorm valued at S600,000 was completed by 1963, replacing the old surplus G.l. units north of the heating plant. Peasley Hall was then refurnished to accommodate the growing Fine Arts department and become Griffith Hall. 1.93 in A-.gi iz' iif?SW?Eii23!Q:f.T'e, 1 1 rf. f

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Time to Endure . . . By the summer of 1964, the 90th anniversary campaign goal of S750,000 was reached and the new Wilcox Library became a reality. The Industrial Arts Department had gained new classrooms by 1962 and 1964 while the rebuilding of the Kilgen organ in Spencer Chapel was also finally accomplished. Since 1964, four large additions have been completed, including the Dana Atkins Memorial Union in 1966. The new student center filled the need for a more adequate food serv- ice forthe school. By the next year, Eltse Dorm had been con- structed to accommodate upperclass men and women, allow- ing Watson Hall to be used essentially for incoming freshman boys. The gym annex was finished by 1970, replacing old G.l. units which had been used for offices and dressing rooms. Modernization of the natural science sections of Penn Hall helped maintain Pennls high degree of scholarship. Since 1953, Penn has been subject to a steady rise in enroll- ment which was accelerated by the addition of the gym in 1957 and the acquisition of N.C.A. accreditation in 1960. Today Penn looks forward with hope and confidence to the future, seeking a proper balance between specialization and culture. Construction of the Edwin McGrew Fine Arts Center awaits approval of final plans while campus beautification continues with the addition of several trees in various sites.