Page 9 - 1908 November - To Dragma

6 TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

his small college must go, Randolph-Macon Woman's College must
step forth into the arena of the great national colleges for women
and open her doors to all who wished to enter. And so, in 1903,
"East H a l l , " a dormitory accommodating one hundred students,
was added, and the college was launched upon larger seas. The
new dormitory was almost immediately filled. I n September, 1905,
every room was engaged and more than a hundred applicants had
to be refused consideration. The enrollment was stopped at three
hundred and fifty for lack of room, but the college was now fully
in the field and there could be no step backward; hence the trustees
determined to meet the demand and authorized "West H a l l , " a dupli-
cate of East Hall, to be begun in time for use September, 1906.

The wide and widening usefulness of the college attracted notice
and won friends. Miss Melissa Baker, of Baltimore, willed $7,000
for its work. Dr. Rolfe Millar, of Front Royal, established a
scholarship with a g i f t of $2,000; Major C. V. Winfree, of Lynch-
burg, Va., gave an Astronomical Observatory; Norfolk College
Alumnae established a scholarship with $1,500; and in February,
1906, Mr. Andrew Carnegie offered to erect a Science Hall i f other
friends would add $20,000 for the endowment fund. The offer"
was promptly accepted, the $20,000 was raised in sixty days, and
the building was occupied September, 1906. Immediately following
this gift, Mrs. Fannie M. Jones, of Lynchburg, a previous benefactor,
offered to erect a library building to match the Carnegie Hall. As
the increase of students required larger chapel space, in the summer
of 1906, that part of the building was enlarged to double its former
size. By the generous cooperation of many friends a large pipe organ
to be known as the Schehlmann Memorial Organ, in honor of Prof.
Louis Schehlmann, Professor of Music in the College from 1893 to
1903, was also installed in the new chapel.

The summer of 1906 was made yet more busy by the erection
of a large steam laundry on the college grounds, which has proved
a great comfort. Thus in one year four large new buildings were added
and the chapel doubled in size. I t is easy to see that such rapid
development created a spirit of enthusiasm among the supporters of
the college. This was stimulated by equally striking progress in
other lines. The faculty kept pace with the increase in equipment.
Professor after professor was added, and the curriculum was en-
riched with additional effective courses. The college, too, began to
be known abroad, and the appreciation of outside educators increased
the confidence of friends at home. Such is the history of the past
fourteen years. I t has wrought a college strong and progressive,
and a faculty and student body f u l l of enthusiasm and confidence
for the future.