Originally published in The News-Star newspaper, March 19, 2006

Everywhere one looks these days, there seems to be something being built at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. As we walk to class and gaze in almost any direction we see new vistas all over our campus.

Let's think for a little while about another building "boom." In 1939 the Student Center and Football Stadium had already been built. The Main or Administration Building (now T.O. Brown Hall) then watched as her sisters to the west and east were built. The first was built to the west so music students would be close to the Auditorium. It was often referred to as the Music Building although Fine Arts was cut into the stone above the main entrance. This building was constructed by the M.T. Reed Construction Co. of Belzonia, Miss., for $79,933. The addition of equipment and furnishings increased its value to more than $100,000.

The first floor held eight private studios for piano, violin, band instruments and voice. There were also three classrooms for teaching music subjects and offices for instructors. The second floor held 11 practice rooms, a band and choral room, three classrooms and two broadcasting studios. Equipment for the Music Building included 21 pianos, two organs, including one Hammond Electric organ, and an RCA Recording Machine.

To the east, the second building was built by a local firm, Salley & Ellis, for $108,000. This was the Library. The first floor contained a lobby area that was 47 feet long by 30 feet wide. Behind this lobby area was a stacks room which measured 24.5 by 50 feet and had a capacity of 20,000 volumes. In the east wing there was a room with chairs and tables for 60 students as well as a reference room for 80 students. In the eastern-most part of this wing was a reading lounge which measured 15 by 32 feet and contained a fireplace. The west wing of the second floor held an assembly and meeting room with a capacity of 225. The east wing housed 18 faculty offices, which, by the way, measured 8 by 11 feet. There were also electric drinking fountains and ceiling fans.

As part of this construction, a contract was let for sidewalks which connected the Auditorium entrance to the Music Building and the Gymnasium entrance to the Library. There was also a walk from the Library to the Student Center. Part of the contract called for a straight walk with a large circular fountain between the Main Building and DeSiard Street. Dr. Colvert decided not to build the fountain since it would have destroyed over half of the green space in front of the college.

As President James Cofer walks the campus, one can imagine him smiling with pride at the new vistas. Similarly, one can imagine President C.C. Colvert looking to the east and west of the Main Building and smiling with pride at the new vistas. The past doesn't seem so far away, does it?

Have a great day at ULM.

Dr. John Knesel, ULM Professor

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