Peirce Hall
From KCpedia
Contents |
Origins and Construction
Peirce Hall was constructed between the years of 1928 and 1929. Named for former Kenyon College President William Foster Peirce, who held the post for the 41 years between 1896 and 1937, Peirce was dedicated on June 19, 1929, and opened the following fall, September 19, 1929. Frank H. Ginn, a Cleveland attorney of the Class of 1890, and William Nelson Cromwell, a prominent lawyer from New York, contributed the $300,000 required for Peirce's construction. This contribution was part of a larger movement underway at Kenyon, in a push to expand campus significantly. Leonard Hall and Samuel Mather Hall were also constructed during this period. Alfred Granger, a leading architect and Kenyon graduate of 1887, designed Peirce, including Philander Chase Tower, also know as the Chase Memorial Tower. Peirce exemplifies collegiate gothic architecture and replicates the style employed by the dining halls of Cambridge and Oxford Universities. The building lies on the slope to the east of Middle Path, north-east of Ascension Hall and opposite Rosse Hall. Constructed out of sandstone from the local quarry, Peirce underwent drastic expansion in the mid-1960s, when the construction of Dempsey Hall created additional dining space.
Notable Occurrences
Changes
At the time of Peirce's construction, students were provided with sitdown meals, rather than a buffet-style servery. This food service was run by the college until 1958. Students were called to Peirce by the sound of a gong, were seated by class, seniors first, and afterward sang together. On Sundays, all students wore a tie and jacket. These traditions gradually disappeared; the gong, for example, was stolen in the mid-1950s. Peirce originally held a game room, comprising several pool tables, but in 1983, these were moved to the Gund Commons game room. In 1990, ARA Food Service's re-orientation of several tables in Peirce caused an uproar among the student body, and ultimately were returned to their original position, facing north/south. Late in 2005, food service provider ARAMARK was replaced with current provider AVI.
Renovations
In 1942, the college spent almost $13,000 installing wooden beams to stabilize the walls. More renovations were carried out in the early 1960s, including the construction of Dempsey Hall. In 1981, the kitchen underwent extensive improvements. The current "scramble system" was introduced to curb crowding, more cooler space added, new ovens installed, and the serving area moved to its current position behind the fireplace. ARA Food Service, John Reed of Harden and Reed, contractor H.A. Higley, and design firm S.S. Kemps collaborated with the school to redesign and make better use of the space. The location of the dishroom was also changed, and conveyor belts in both Dempsey and Peirce were added to simplifying the process of busing trays. In 2000, the historic portraits adorning the hall, including those of Lord Kenyon, Lord Gambier, and President Peirce, were sent away for cleaning, and in the summer of 2002, the building itself was cleaned intensely. In the summer of 2004, plans to make huge renovations to Peirce and Dempsey were set into motion, thanks to an anonymous donation of $8 million. These renovations are scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2008. These include enlarging the kitchens and creating food station for dining, rather than the former cafeteria lines; expanding food preparation and storage units and adding a loading dock; installing a passenger elevator and a new freight elevator; adding restrooms on the first floor; and building a two-story glass addition for expanding dining space.
Mishaps
On Halloween night of 1984, decorations brought into Peirce for the occasion ignited. Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze, which was quickly extinguished by fast-acting students. On June 29, 1999, a similar situation occurred in Lower Dempsey, but the Gambier Fire Department's arrival within four minutes of the reported fire left the building and bystanders unharmed. In October 1986, a combination of ammonium and sodium hypochlorite was inadvertently released in the basement of Peirce by an ARA worker, which led to an evacuation between about 10 A.M and 3 P.M., until the spill had been thoroughly cleaned. The following year, the College removed a mild concentration of asbestos material found within the insulation of the Great Hall and the pub.
Features
Stained Glass Windows
The beautifully crafted windows of Peirce's Great Hall depict famous literary works, while the windows of Chase Tower show scenes from Philander Chase's life. Among the writings represented in Great Hall are Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare), Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thakeray), Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott), Paradise Lost (John Milton), Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll), Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson), Poor Richard's Almanack (Benjamin Franklin), The Scarlett Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain), and Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift). One set of windows is devoted solely to Shakespeare, and the bay on the west side stands as a tribute to great American authors. The windows following Philander Chase's life follow him as he meets with Native Americans, teaches in New Orleans, travels across America, and wears his Bishop regalia. The windows were created by Charles J. Connick during Peirce's original construction.
The Coffee Shop/The Shoppes/Philander's Pub
The area in Peirce's basement now known as Philander's Pub was originally called "The Coffee Shop". The Coffee Shop was smaller than the present-day pub; by the mid-1960s, enrollment had increased, and the space was overcrowded. Briefly, faculty and staff were served here, but in 1967, Gund Commons opened and Peirce's hours were expanded, so the Coffee Shop once again opened its doors to the campus. In the mid-1970s, The Coffee Shop asked the student body to participate in a re-naming contest, and "The Shoppes" was chosen as its new title. The Shoppes, at this, point, was a sitdown restaraunt with a menu including pizzas, subs, desserts, and appetizers. Students often carried out or ordered in, as the Shoppes offered free delivery. In 1996, the Shoppes was again renamed and renovated, in what the Kenyon Collegian termed "an aggressive appeal for the Cove's business." In recent years, Philander's Pub has been used by the college as an additional dining area.
Resources in the Kenyon Archives
- Peirce Hall -- collected materials
