Evening journal., 1916-08-07
DEMOLISHINC OLD
COLLEGE BUILDING
Dormitory Will be Replaced
by Modern Structure at
Cost of $I25,0OO
COLUMNS SO YEARSOLD
IN GOOD CONDITION

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
NEWARK, Del, Aug. with the
exception of the thick walls the old
dormitory building at Delaware Col.
lege built in 1888 and which has at
tracted the attention of thousands of
travellers in going through Newark. is
being totally demolished preparatory
to rebuilding the structure at a cost
of S125,OOO. The building, which
faces Main street, was the first OF
the group of buildings to be erected
for the college. AS stated the main
portion of this building was erected
in 1888 and the college opened on
May 12 1894.
The demolishing Of the structure is
attracting much attention. It was
substantially built structure and the
four large columns, two on each side
of the steps leading to the oratory,
gave IL stately and colonial appear
ance. Workmen started tearing out
the interior more than a week ago and
on Saturday the four large columns
were taken down. There was much
interest among the older residents Of
/ Newark to learn just how these coA
umns were built as they had always
stood there as long as they could re-
member.
Il is recorded in the minute book
of the board of trustees that a few
years after the college was opened
several students were expelled for
damaging these columns, and several
others left college out of sympathy
This was probably the first strike"
among the students of Old Delaware.
| but there have been several since
that time. The damage is supposed
to have been done by the boys with
| penknives.
When the columns were taken down
on Saturday they were found to be
built of pine wood about two inches
thick and hollow inside. They are
each about 20 feet high and from 9
to 12 feet in circumference at the bot
tom. After the trouble with the
students the columns for about six
feet from the bottom were covered
with tin and this tin has always re-
manned around them.
Notwithstanding the fact that they
are SO years old. the columns we're
still in a good state Of preservation.
One of them had started to dry rot
at the bottom but ouside of this they
were apparently as good as when first
built There is considerable specu-
lation as where and by whom these
columns were built. Some Of the
older residents claim they were built
on the grounds when the dormitory
was In course Of erection while
others are under the impression that
they were built in Boston and ship
ped to Christiana by boat, there be-
ing no railroads in those days.
For many years all the students had
their sleeping quarters and also got
their meals in this old building. In
fact for manv years it was the only
building on the campus. II was N
this building that one student muir
d dered another student in the late ff
ties and as a result of this tragedy the
college was closed for about ten
years. Both the late United States
Senator Anthony Higgins and Albert
Constable Of Elkton. who was muir
dered several years ago, were stu
dents at the time of the murder and
were witnesses at the trial
The four old columns are 10 be re-
placed by new fiuted columns. The
building when completed, will be a
commons for the students and much
of the college activity will be center
ed in the new building. The work Of
erecting this building. Wolf Hall and
the proposed new dormitory, will take
! nearly a year They will be COM
pleted next spring The laboratories
= and other quarters that were located
in the old domintory have been re-
moved to some Of the buildings on
= Main street that are now owned by
the college.