FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    February 28, 2007

NORTHWESTERN’S FINE ARTS BUILDING TO CELEBRATE 100TH ANNIVERSARY

            The oldest academic building on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Alva campus, Fine Arts, will be honored with a special birthday party on Tuesday, March 6, to commemorate its 100^th year of existence. A special birthday cake will be cut and served in the Fine Arts Conference room in room 119 between 2 and 4 p.m., and everyone is welcome to join the celebration.

            Born in 1897 as the Northwestern Normal School, this institution of higher learning grew rapidly. In 1905, school leaders began to seek funding from the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature to erect a companion building to the magnificent “Castle on the Hill.” Territorial Governor Thompson Benton Ferguson signed legislation approving $50,000 for the expenditure, but because Oklahoma was still a territory, the funds had to be approved by the federal government. The House passed the measure right away, but the Senate dragged its feet for about a year. Final approval came in June 1906, with the signature of President Theodore Roosevelt.

                Actual construction on what was then called the Science Hall began Jan. 2, 1907. The architect chosen to design the building was S. A. Layton, described as Oklahoma's foremost pioneer architect. His firm also created the State Capitol and Oklahoma Historical Society building. Fine Arts (Science Hall) was added to the national Register of Historical Places in 1983 because of its significance in architecture/engineering. Its style is described variously as Tudor Revival, Jacobean Revival or a combination of the two.

On March 26, the cornerstone was laid amidst a large crowd that gathered for the celebration, according to news articles from Alva newspapers of the time. The date on the cornerstone actually reads March 6, 1907, and research has not revealed a reason for the delay.

                Items placed in a copper box behind the cornerstone included Jesse J. Dunn’s commission as deputy grand master for the occasion; a list of officers of the Masonic Lodge; names of students in a choir assisting in the program; the roster of the Alva post of the Grand Army of the Republic; a document from the Odd Fellows Lodge; military letters of S.T. Carrico; a jewel from the Cherokee Lodge; an annual and a quarterly bulletin of Northwestern; copies of Alva newspapers; photographs of Oklahoma Territorial Gov. Frank Frantz, ex-Gov. Ferguson, the school’s first president James Ament, the school’s second and current president at the time, T.W. Conway, ex-Regent A.J. Ross and Regent George E. Nickel; a bogus dollar, and a Master’s Journal from the Ingersoll Masonic Lodge.

                The Science Hall was inspected and accepted Oct. 31, 1907, and partially occupied in November 1907.

                Housed in this new building were the science departments, the library, a gymnasium, and a training school where students received practical teaching experiences.

                By 1934, the Science Hall provided quarters for physics, chemistry, biology, home economics, a museum and the training school. Physical education classes had moved to Wyatt Gym (present day Student Center), which was constructed in 1919.

By August 1935, the Science Hall was in a seriously deteriorated condition and its demolition had been considered, but in August 1938, the Science Hall underwent a major renovation. The walls and foundation of the building were reinforced and a modest tower on the structure was removed, as were bay windows.

A lot of the work on the building was accomplished by students in the National Youth Administration (NYA) program. Plans at the time were to provide barracks-type living quarters, a dining room and kitchen for NYA participants. A recreation parlor and student lounge were among second floor facilities with music rooms were to be on the lower floor. Sixty-five men moved into the building in November 1938.

 Once this remodel was complete, the Science Hall was renamed Vinson Hall in honor of A.G. Vinson. The building held the name Vinson for only one year when a new dormitory for men was constructed and given the name. The older building then was called Old Science Hall.

In August 1947, the Science Hall would see another extensive interior renovation to bring the building into the mainstream of campus life. Work included new concrete floors with steel reinforcement, asphalt tile flooring, plaster walls, fiberboard ceilings, a new roof, new partitions, soundproofing in music rooms and steel window frames. The ground floor was to house the industrial arts metals shop and some offices. The dramatics classes were to have a little theater on the second floor, sharing that level with agriculture and vocational home economics classes. Music got the third floor.

Although the renovation was not complete by the fall of 1948, the Regents decided the building would be renamed the Fine Arts Building because of the music and speech departments to be housed there.

In 1975, the Fine Arts Building was vacated for another renovation. On the outside, stonework was sandblasted and turned white again. Brickwork was tuck-pointed, and the entire exterior washed. Windows, doors and trim work were repainted, and parts of the windows were fitted with screens to divert sunlight.

The building was the first on campus to receive a passenger elevator. Fine Arts received new floor tile and, in some areas, carpeting. Walls were covered with vinyl or repainted. New lighting was installed and the ceilings were lowered. Air conditioning was replaced. First floor office areas were reorganized, primarily for student affairs personnel. On the second floor, the little theater stage was removed and that area became a multi-purpose room with a flexible lighting system. Among changes on the third floor, a piano lab was installed and music practice rooms were rearranged.

Work was completed on the building in August 1975, and an open house was held Sept. 13, 1975.

Since then, Fine Arts has remained home to the music department, but other functions have come and gone to meet the academic and administrative needs of the university.

At the present time, the second and third floors are used for music facilities and offices, the ITV director’s office and the offices of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Professional Studies. On the first floor is the Office of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, including the dean’s office, recruitment, housing, student health, student life and counseling.

Who knows what the future will bring to the venerable building.

-NW-

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