Dormitory Life

Speaking of dormitories under construction, or being remodeled, one of my favorite stories of University dormitories is the move of Claud Foster Hall. Constructed by WRU and opened in the fall of 1953 for undergraduate male students, Claude Foster Hall sat between Thwing Center and Severance Hall, parallel to Euclid Avenue. In the summer of 1968, the University moved the dormitory between Thwing Center and Mather House. Claude Foster Hall sat parallel with Mather House and perpendicular to Euclid Avenue. In September 1968, Claud Foster Hall reopened as a dormitory for 140 upperclass undergraduate women. Despite the start of the fall semester, the building, now occupied, wasn’t quite ready. The Reserve Tribune, dated September 24, 1968, in an article entitled, "The Claud moves as its Residents Slept," described life of the residents in the newly moved dormitory. A moat surrounded the building, elevators and telephones did not work, and there was no of hot water. My favorite quote from the article was:

“About 6:00 Monday morning, many girls were roused from their slumber by noise created by the jackhammers and other machinery necessary to complete the installation of the building. What many girls failed to realize was that while they were moving in or sleeping, the building was lowered a half an inch onto its permanent foundation.”

Can you imagine?

Claud Foster Hall was razed in 1980. The space on which the dormitory sat from 1968-1980 is now called Claud Foster Park.

Did you or anyone you know live in Claud Foster Hall in 1968? We’d love to hear those stories.

See our dorm life exhibit for images
of Claud Foster Hall before, during, and after its 1968 move.

Tom Steman

University Archives