|
The construction of the Mens Building was begun in 1909 and the building was completed in 1911, at a total cost of $460,000. It was the gift of an anonymous donor. The architect was Mr. J.L. Silsbee of Chicago, and the building was erected by Mr. George Feick of Sandusky. It was designed to be the center of the mens activities of all kindssocial, religious, athletic, musical, and literary. It contains reception rooms, offices, and rooms for the Young Mens Christian Association, athletic, trophy, and Glee Club rooms, and assembly room seating five hundred, rooms for the mens literary societies, and dormitory accommodations for one hundred and fourteen men. In the fall of 1918 it was the headquarters of the S.A.T.C. In 1919 a mens Commons, accommodating two hundred men for table board, was opened by the College. From 1928 to 1934 the Commons was used as a Freshman Dining Hall. In 1934 the dining room was discontinued and the space occupied by it and by the kitchen was remodeled for use as a Recreation Hall. At the present time the dormitory accommodations are reserved for Freshman men. In 1928 the assembly room was named the King-Bosworth Room. [Wilder Hall now houses Oberlins student union. The Dean of Student Life and Services, the Multicultural Resource Center, the Office of Chaplains, the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA), and the Experimental College (ExCo) all have offices there as well as most of the colleges 100-plus student organizations.]
|