SAU as Text (answers)

By Rachel Wetherington, SAUHC 2014 (2024-01-23)

Aggie Hill

Ending location of ceremonial “laying of the cornerstone” of the Third District Agricultural School on August 24, 1910. Named by the first students of TDAS and was the hub of the school. On this hill, the highest point on campus, would be built Old Main, two dormitories, and a dining hall. Located in what is now the mall area.

Smith Field

Location of home football games for TDAS (later used for Magnolia High School baseball). Replaced by Columbia Stadium in 1935

The Clubhouse

The result of classes of 1931-1933’s contribution of money or labor stemming from the tradition that graduating classes would leave behind memorial structures. Was a rustic log cabin clubhouse of which building began in October 1931 and was completed in March 1933. Delayed by economic difficulties. Materials for the Clubhouse cost $700 and students donated 1,500 hours of labor. They “cut, hauled, skinned, and split all poles necessary for the log house and gathered rocks for the chimney. Was located on the southeast edge of campus, fifty yards beyond the site where students built the Greek Theater in 1936. Contained two small meeting rooms, a large open central area with a sandstone fireplace, a kitchen, and a porch extending across the building’s front. Location of the first informal student dance at Magnolia A&M on October 6, 1934.

Lone Pine Tree

Following an expansion of campus living space, many new trees were planted to beautify the grounds. However, on the front lawn, only one tree survived. Stood a hundred yards to the southeast of Old Main. Came to have symbolic significance as the site of an early tradition that students created; it became a trysting place for couples in love. Gathering place of former students on Former Students Day on May 11, 1934. Subject of Rufus C. Sparks’s ode, “Tale of the Lone Pine.” Was blown over in early 1956 by a strong wind. Former students voted to place a marker on the tree’s empty spot, but the good intention was lost.

Caraway Hall

Originally called New Girls’ dorm. Named Caraway Hall in 1935 after Senator Hattie W. Caraway. One of the first two dormitories built in 1913-1914. Located on Aggie Hill. The result of an effort to keep TDAS segregated by gender. Rooms were kept warm during the winter through steam heating, unlike other dormitories on campus. Served as a women’s dormitory until 1951. Was a men’s dormitory from 1951 to 1955. In 1955, Caraway was converted to a classroom and faculty office building. It was used by the Social Science Division until 1970, the Education Division until 1976, and the Art Department until 1991. Efforts during the 1980s and early 1990s to raise funds to preserve Caraway Hall as an historic structure of the original campus proved unsuccessful. The building was torn down in 1994.

Student Teacher Training School

Was located where the Bruce Center now stands. Opened in the 1927-1928 school year. Came about as the result of a board-authorized agreement with the Sanders school district north of the college to provide a school for grades one through eight for the area’s white children. Was the site of student practice teaching courses until the Second World War. All student teachers completed their practice teaching in this building.

Dog Hall

Located where Child’s now stands. Built by Dr. Orris Nipper, a 1942 A&M graduate and Columbia County’s first professionally trained veterinarian. Nipper constructed a clinic and animal hospital near the barns to pursue his practice in exchange for teaching a class or two and caring for the farm’s animals. He eventually moved his operation off-campus and built Dog Hall, named as such because it had once housed Nipper’s sick dogs. The building remained on campus and was later used by Childs to house a few agricultural majors who worked at the farm.

Faculty (Housing) Row

Was located where the Science building parking lot now is and also near Fincher Hall along Crescent and Circle drives. By 1957, SSC had a total of eighteen single-family homes and sixteen apartments, ten of them duplexes, and six single units.

Blue and Gold Station

Was a bus station and was located by the intersection close to Wharton nursing.

Old Man’s Place

Restaurant located where the Catholic Church is.

President’s Home

Now the SAU Welcome Center. Dr. Rankin and his family did not wish to move into the campus residence, thus creating the Welcome Center in 2002-2003. Previously, presidents of the school lived there.

Wilkinsville

Residential area for families opened in Fall 1946. First time the school provided such accommodations. Named by students. Located on the northern edge of campus (later site of Honors and Greene halls). Largely a trailer park with most trailers designed to accommodate two people. Became a thriving community, and eventually a playground was added. Rent was $20 a month with no additional charge for water or electricity. Replaced by Graham Hall in 1955; trailers were sold at auction.

First Campus Library

Located in Old Main. During the first decade of operation, had fewer than five hundred volumes and occupied only a corner of an upstairs room in Old Main. First organized by James Peace on own initiative. Grew to ten thousand volumes over the decade beginning in the late 20s aided by a Carnegie Foundation grant. Was expanded by remodeling another classroom in Old Main. Relocated to old dining hall in 1937.

Peace Hall

Originally Peace Library. Constructed in 1951. Became the Division of Business Administration’s home in 1975-1976. When the School of Business moved to its new building in 1999-2000, the psychology and sociology departments relocated to Peace Hall, along with criminal justice and social work in later years, becoming the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Named for Mr. J. M. Peace, teacher of English and Mathematics from 1913 to 1920 and 1925 to 1928, and librarian from 1928-1949.

Old Main

One of the original buildings built on campus. Cornerstone was laid in an elaborate ceremony on August 24, 1910. First location of library and where classes and graduation ceremonies were held. Opened on January 3, 1911. Provided first view of campus for people coming from the city until Overstreet was built in 1940-1944. Was torn down on December 10, 1975.

Greek Theater

Formed as a 1936 graduating class memorial. Blueprints done by sophomore Sterling Cook. Built by the students and the names of the 1936 class members were inscribed on the floor. Bleachers were added in 1937-1938 by National Youth Administration vocational students. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Symbolized changes occurring as Magnolia A&M became a full-fledged junior college.

Homecoming Heartbeat

Began Homecoming of 1969 when band members took turns beating a drum for the twenty-four (sometimes forty-eight) hours before the big football game. Originally called “Heartbeat of SSC.”

Historic Campus Plaza

Dedicated on November 15, 2012. Pays tribute to the buildings that made up the original site of SAU's forerunner, the Third District Agricultural School.

Dining Room & Kitchen-Domestic Science Building

Constructed in 1910. Was used as Kitchen and Dining hall from 1910-1913, a classroom and laboratories for Domestic Arts and Science until 1946, and as an office for Plant Engineer and for storage from 1946 until 1974 when it was removed.

Dining Hall & Kitchen-Library-Student Union

Constructed in 1913 and replaced old dining hall. Much larger than old dining hall, capable of feeding 250 at one setting. Used as kitchen and dining hall from 1913 until 1937 when food services were transferred to Nelson Hall. Used as a library from 1937 to 1951 and as a Student Union from 1951 to 1963. Kitchen and storage areas were used as a post office, bookstore, and snack bar from 1937 until 1963.

Nelson Hall

Constructed in 1936 and renovated in 1963. Used as a dormitory for women from 1936 to 1950 and 1963-1976. Dormitory for men from 1950 to 1963. Part of the building was used as a dining hall and kitchen from 1936 to 1963 when the dining hall area was converted to dormitory rooms and the kitchen area was converted to an infirmary. Served as a women honors students’ residence from 1976-1994. Was renovated for two years beginning in 1994, and became an administrative office building in 1996, housing the registrar, admissions, communications, advising, placement, counseling and testing, and the SAU Foundation and development offices. Named in honor of Mrs. Mary H. Nelson who was Dean of Women 1922-1936 and House Mother 1936-1941.

Overstreet Hall

Construction began in 1940, but was not opened until the 1944 fall semester. Renovated in 1963 ,1974, and 1980-1981. Debate as to the most desirable location (north or south) and the south won out. Provides the first view of campus for people coming from the city, blocking Old Main. Provided for the first time modern, up-to-date labs and classrooms for chemistry and biology. First floor’s east end housed all administrative offices and the west end provided space for offices and classrooms in English and other liberal arts fields. Also included an auditorium (Harton Theater) completed in 1975 containing five hundred seats, replacing the facilities in the armory that also functioned as a basketball court. Named for Mr. Charles A. Overstreet who served as president 1921-1945.

Cross Hall

Constructed in 1936 and renovated in 1975 and 1998. Used as a dormitory for men from 1936 to 1969, dormitory for women from 1969 to 1973, as an apartment and as for storage from 1974 to 1975, and as classrooms and offices for Social Science and Education Departments beginning in 1975. Named after Mr. W. R. Cross, who served as chairman of Magnolia Citizen’s Committee, which secured the school for Magnolia.

Childs Hall

Acquired in 1946 and renovated in 1965. Originally a WWII surplus building housing students as well as a classroom and offices. Used as classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and a milking room for the Agriculture Department before renovations, and as classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offices for the Agriculture Department and some dormitory rooms for agriculture students. Used as offices and police department beginning in 2013 when the new agriculture building was opened. Named for Mr. Orval A. Childs who served as Professor of Agriculture and Head of Department of Agriculture from 1942-1975 and Professor Emeritus 1975-1976.

Engineering Building

Acquired in 1946 and used as classrooms and shops for engineering classes until 1970 when it was removed. Just north of the site occupied by the Bruce Center.

Wilkins Field House/Stadium

Constructed in 1949 and renovated in 1969. Field house used as football dressing rooms and offices for football coaches and stadium used for football games as well as other special college events. Seats in the stadium were replaced in 1969. Field house renamed Auburn P. Smith Field House in 1995. The field’s natural turf was replaced in 2006 with an artificial field. A new concession stand and ticket booths, more seating, improvements in the press box, and a new seventy-foot flagpole were also additions in the 2006 upgrade. Named for Dr Charles S. “Col” Wilkins, President District Agricultural & Mechanical College 1945-1950.

Student Union/Bruce Center

Opened in the fall of 1963. Was originally a student union and cafeteria. Upper floor at ground level had a snack bar and large student lounge, office and meeting rooms, and a bookstore and post office. Remodeled in 2008. In this remodel, the bottom floor, the site of the old cafeteria, was turned over to the Arkansas Archeological Survey to develop a museum, office space was built on the top floor for Upward Bound director, university police and sports information director occupied the former student life offices, the large open space on the second floor became a recreation and game area, the former post office was remodeled into a large screen TV area for sports entertainment, and the former bookstore was converted to a Quiznos. In 2012, the Bruce Center was remodeled again, creating a food court that included Subway, Chick Fil A, and Grille Works. Named after Dr. Imon E. Bruce, former President of College.

Dolph Camp Fine Arts Building

Constructed in 1957. Location of offices, classrooms, and a recital hall for the School of Music. Performance auditorium originally contained seating for 130, a large pipe organ, and a nine-foot concert grand piano. Renovated from 1999-2001. Renovations included being converted into the Technology Center to house campus computer services, including the main student computer lab, although the Oliver recital hall was kept the same. Named after Dr. Dolph Camp, President Southern State College 1950-1959.

Wilson Hall

Completed in 1970. Originally housed the English and foreign languages departments on the top floor and the math, physics, pre-engineering, and geology departments on the first and second floors. Southern State College’s new IBM computer was also housed in Wilson Hall. Named after Dr. John H. Wilson, who served as member of the College’s Board of Trustees 1945-1976, Secretary 1949-1960, and chairman 1961-1972.

Wharton Nursing Building

Constructed in 1972. Uses include classrooms, laboratories, lecture, auditorium, and offices for the Department of Nursing. Named in memory of Dr. Joseph Burleson Wharton, one of Union County’s most prominent doctors from 1901-1961.

Magale Library

Constructed in 1974. Construction of the library required removal of several older buildings, including the old physical plant. Named after Mr. John F. and Joanna G. Magale, who established an endowment fund for the purchase of books and library materials.

Bell Tower

Constructed in 1976 as a water tower for the campus. Held 50,000 gallons of water. The addition of a water tower by the city of Magnolia near the SAU campus eliminated the need for the SAU tower. In 1980, Dr. Harold Brinson purchased the set of 14 bells to begin ringing every quarter hour. The bells were purchased with funds from the University’s first alumni telephone campaign. Time and lightning strikes damaged the original mechanism, making it unreliable, and the tower has been silent for several years. However, as a result of donations from the SAU Foundation and Phi Lambda Chi fraternity, the bell tower began to ring again beginning in the holiday season of 2011.