Page 4
THE BATTALION
Friday, September 22, 1950
A&MArchitect C. W. Adams
Key Figure in Construction
In 1946, when the Board of Dir
ectors of the college asked Carle-
ton W. Adams, A&M System archi
tect, to make a preliminary report
of study on the proposed Student
Center, he was faced with the
problem of making a survey of
what the needs of the A&M Stu
dent Center would actually be,
what its size would be, and exact
ly what facilities should be includ
ed in its construction.
With the assignment of this ar
chitectural problem to his office,
he first assembled certain data
available locally. Then he made a
visit to seven colleges with out
standing union buildings, mostly
in the Midwest. This trip proved
of great interest and considerable
value in building an understand
ing of the general problem and in
seeing what others had done and
were planning to do with their un
ions.
Word Travels
Word that A&M proposed to
have a Student Center without un
necessary delay was received with
considerable interest at the col
leges visited. The personnel in
each union were gracious in giv
ing their time to discuss the pro
ject and in going over their build
ings and explaining their opera
tions.
Adams was confronted with the
problem of building a center to
serve the needs of the college. One
particular problem on this campus
that is unlike those at other col
leges is that A&M is not co-educa-
tional. Most of the students live
on the campus and have normal
eating facilities.
In some of the larger universi
ties the union problem is sort of a
day room problem, with a big
crowd at noon and in the early
evening, while here our proposed
center was to be for social and ex
tra-curricular activities.
Due to the fact that we had lim
ited facilities for recreation on the
campus, the recreational portion
would have to be accented. There
was also the problem of the site
for the building. The location that
was chosen is the best that was
available since it is between the
two dormitory areas, close to the
athletic facilities, faces the main
drill field, and provides as much
parking space as possible. Many
student activities and meeting
rooms would be needed to house
the various organizations on the
campus.
Based upon his trip to other
student unions, Adams observed
that the Center should be provided
for three groups.
For Students
First of all it should be primar
ily for A&M students. It should
offer them something of immedi
ate pleasure and future profit by
becoming the center of the social
life of the college. By providing
facilities for fellowship, study, rec
reation, entertainment, eating,
drinking, and lounging, the Center
would cover a wide range of acti
vities, accenting those that were
social, spiritual, and healthful.
It would help weld a strong
school spirit, cement friendships,
promote mutual interests, com
mon pursuits, and understanding.
This environment would stimulate
vivid personalities and develop
qualities of leadership and supple
ment the work of the classroom.
It was to provide unlimited means
for discriminating use of time.
Faculty and Staff
Second, the Center was to be for
the faculty. Although fund limi
tations prohibited having a facul
ty lounge and dining room, the
Center offers the faculty facilities
not available elsewhere on the
campus. It affords an atmosphere
where faculty and students may
meet on common ground.
WE CONGRATULATE
the Management
on their accomplishment
of the magnificent
MEMORIAL
STUDENT
CENTER
and are proud
that we had a small part
in its development
Ox ^
HALSEY & ROYER
MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS
Transit Tower
San Antonio
Tom Halsey, ’25
‘Dad” Royer, 13
Thirdly there are the former stu :
dents. The Center becomes their
college home, the place to renew
old friendships, the point of con
tact in college life. Beyond this
there are the friends of the col
lege—the fathers, mothers, and
sweethearts. And finally the pro
posed Center was to be a memorial,
serving especially as a monument
to those of A&M who gave their
all in their service to their coun
try, and also as a memorial to all
those who served in the armed for
ces in times of war.
The main advantages of our
Memorial Student Center are the
free and open plan of the build
ing, the orientation of the building
on the site, the provisions for ex
pansion, and the generally invit
ing and interesting “look” of both
the interior and the exterior.
Advantages Shown
When the proposed plans were
sent out to the director of the
University of Wisconsin Union
for criticism and suggestions, the
director pointed out these advan
tages: “The relationship of the
facilities to each other and to the
most appropriate location in the
present scheme with an eye on op
erating efficiency and economy,
and on convenience of use by the
public and servicing and supervis
ion by the staff.”
He praised the service auxiliar
ies and the special features that
have proven desirable in general
union experience since they allow
for future additions.
Plans have been made to build an
additional eight bowling alleys, a
theater with 1,000 or 1,200 capac
ity, an additional 66 guest rooms,
and a swimming pool and locker
rooms.
In the architectural and design
sense, Adams believed there should
be “harmony” indicative of a uni
fied people, and “solidarity” indi
cative of strength of character and
rugged masculinity. He believed
that the Center’s great front doors
should constitute a real “invita
tion” to students and a “welcome”
to visitors.
Invitation Look
Adams pointed out that a ma
jority of the student union build
ings have no such inviting look.
Instead, with the usual narrow en
trance, they seem to keep the stu
dents out rather than make them
feel that they should go inside.
Careful allotment of space and
sound planning was required for
economical operations and easy
Carleton W. Adams
The man behind the planning of A&M’s new Memorial Student Center
is Adams, A&M System architect. As a result of his efforts, the
building has become widely proclaimed a structure of unusual beauty,
architectural merit, and practical arrangement. He is currently
working on a $9 million building program for the System. Before
him is a model of the new $300,000 men’s dormitory for Arlington
State College.
control. Flexibility of arrange
ment was essential since avail
able funds would not permit the in
clusion of everything desired.
On October 24, 1946 the building
committee of the Memorial Stu
dent Center was appointed by Pres
ident Gibb Gilchrist. This commit
tee was authorized to decide on the
facilities needed in the building,
the operation and control of the
building program, and the finan
cing of the complete program.
Committee members were E. E.
McQuillen, chairman, H. D. Dil
lingham, J. J. Woolket, E. N.
Holmgreen, W. R. Carmichael, S.
L. Loveless, J. W. Rollins and E.
L. Angell. Adams sat in with
the committee on their meet
ings. Student members were Pat
Spillman, Elmo Livingston, Robert
Leatherwood, Sam Williams, and
Powell Sheumock.
A report by the committee de
cided on an extended type building
with careful attention to porches
and terraces to make it as homelike
in appearance as possible, and
made recommendations concerning
their decisions. It was agreed
that the building program would
get underway by May, 1948. How
ever the ground-breaking ceremo
nies were not held until Sept. 20,
1948.
In working with the committee,
Adams first submitted a drawing
showing all the facilities the com
mittee asked for, and then the com
mittee decided upon which parts
to omit, because of fund limita
tions. The completed building cost
$2 million to construct and is
planned so that the proposed ad
ditions will blend with the archi
tectural scheme.
Guest Room Work
Is Mrs. Holland’s
Mrs. Mozelle Holland, acting
manager of the guest rooms, has
worked with the Memorial Student
Center for two years. Prior to
her present position, she was gen
eral cashier for the business de
partments.
Her office is just beyond
the main lounge in what is called
the Front Office. To help her
with her job of managing the 66
guest rooms and the 32 rooms in
the Aggieland Inn, and taking care
of reservations, housekeeping, and
all matters pertaining to their op
eration, she will have a staff com
posed of clerks, maids, bellhops,
and office workers.
There are two types of guest
rooms, Mrs. Holland said. One is
the standard room and the other
is a deluxe room with a living room
and bedroom combination. All
rooms are air-conditioned, have pri
vate baths, room service, and tele
phone.
CONGRATULATIONS
TEXAS A. & M.
We are proud to have had a part in the
construction of the beautiful
Memorial Student Center
BUILDERS SPECIALTIES
FABRICATED STEEL BUILDINGS
READY MIXED CONCRETE
Bryan
Building "
Phone 2-1505
Bryan, Texas