University Hall is Condemned

The university in this story is the University of Illinois.  The University Hall was replaced by the present day Illini Union.

Daily Illini January 25, 1938

SCHOOL'S OLDEST BUILDING ORDERED CLOSED; OFFICES, CLASSROOMS TO BE MOVED

Buildings, Grounds Committee of Board of Trustees Makes Decision; Action is Permanent, Effective Today

University hall, the oldest and most used building on the campus, was condemned as unsafe and ordered permanently closed yesterday by the building and grounds committee of the board of trustees. AH offices and classrooms must be vacated, and students and faculty men will be admitted only, with special permission.

The action followed the collapse of a ceiling in a third floor classroom of the building last Friday. The committee spent yesterday inspecting, the building, and reached its decision late in the afternoon.

The building houses several hundred classes a week, offices of the School of Journalism, the English and psychology departments, The Daily Mini editorial offices, psychology laboratories, the University extension offices, tabulating offices, journalism library, and many faculty offices. All must be vacated aa soon as possible.

The problem of where to locate these offices, and. where to place the classes next semester proved extremely difficult to University officials yesterday. Already cramped for classroom space, the added burden will tax the capacity of the entire University and will require co-operation from every department.

Willard Asks Co-operation
In a statement last night, A. C. Willard, president of the University. pointed out that the closing of the building presented a problem greatly complicated by the continued growth of the enrollment of the University. "Obviously," he said, "any re-adjustment of classroom schedules and re-assignment of office space for departments now housed in University hall will be extremely difficult,"

The ultimate fate of the building was not known last night by University officials. The committee will make further inspections of the building. It may be torn down, may be left standing, or there is a bare possibility that it may be reconditioned and put into further use.

On the building and grounds committee of the board of trustees are Edward E. Barrett, chairman. Walter W. Williams, Oscar G. Mayer, Mrs. Nellie V. Freeman, and Harold A. Pogue. The party which inspected the building was accompanied by C. S. Havens, director of the physical plant department.

Inspect All of Building
They prodded walls and ceilings throughout the building, inspected, the ceiling that had collapsed, and other places known to be weak. They met in late afternoon and made their decision that the 65-year-old building was no longer safe for occupation.

Hundreds of pounds of steel lathing and plaster fell on the unoccupied classroom last Friday, giving warning of what might come. Investigation following the collapse disclosed that ceilings in many parts of the building were in the same condition. In some places plaster fell from the ceiling when prodded.

Numerous repairs have been made on the building in the past few years. Staircases were kept in repair, and the floors in the halls were renovated last summer. The entire inside of the building was painted two summers ago. Last fall termites were found in the basement, and steps were immediately taken to eliminate them.

Has Been Indispensable
Because University Hall is one of the largest buildings on the campus, and the most used, it has been indispensable to the University. Several large lecture halls, including 218 and 315, were housed in the building.

Mr. Willard stated last night that. "any re-adjustment of classroom schedules and re-assignment of office space for departments now housed in University hall will he extremely difficult and will require complete co-operation of all colleges and schools and of all departments in order that the University's educational program may be carried ott with a minimum of sacrifice."

In the University's report to the general assembly on the "Needs of the University for the Biennium. 1937-39," the building was described as "poor and inadequate."