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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
4. Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (SCI), 1900-25
The new century found Shenandoah Institute in a prosperous and flourishing condition. The old
debt, which for so many years had plagued the faculty and administration, was reported liquidated, and
the Board of Trustees immediately began plans for additional buildings.
Howe Memorial Building. In October 1900 Rev. J. W. Howe offered the School a gift of
$1,500 to be used for a new building. A Building Committee was appointed by the Board comprising
A. S. Hammack, George P. Hott, C. M. Strickler, J. H. Ruebush, E. U. Hoenshel, C. A. Funkhouser, and,
in an advisory capacity, J. W. Howe. The Committee was instructed to arrange for a building on the
North Campus not to exceed $2,500. Mr. Park Teter was instructed to draw up plans for the new three-
story building, which was to be called Howe Memorial in consideration of the substantial sum offered
by Rev. Howe. The Board later decided that the building should be located on the South Campus and
that actual construction should start when an amount, less $1,000, of the bid accepted had been secured.
After securing bids from three contractors, the Board rescinded part of the previous
recommendation that the cost be held below $2,500. The bid of W. M. Becker & Son was the lowest,
and they were given the contract for $5,323.19. Actual work on the building began in Summer 1901.
Rev. J. W. Howe later decided to reduce the amount of his gift to $1,000, with the understanding that if
anyone else gave a larger amount that person should have the honor of naming the building. The
following subscriptions were obtained: $500 from the faculty, $300 from Mrs. Rebecca Howe, $200
from Mrs. Ella Shipman, $200 from a Dr. Carter, and $500 through a bequest from Mrs. Phoebe Andes.
Total subscriptions amounted to $3,827.
Howe Memorial was occupied in January 1902 and was formally dedicated on March 18, 1902.
The first floor provided room for offices and classrooms, and the second floor housed a large chapel or
auditorium with several small classrooms
to the rear. The third floor had two
rooms for meetings of the literary
societies. By moving the chapel and
recitation rooms from the Gentlemen’s
Hall, it was then possible to provide
more dormitory rooms for the young
men. The actual cost of the building was
$6,846, which was made up of $5,700 for
the building itself and an additional
$1,146 for the heating plant ($746) and
seats ($400) [see Section II.B.29, below].
Howe Memorial is pictured at the right.
The debt incurred by this construction program was offset by a plan of action formulated and
carried out by Prof. J. H. Ruebush. In 1904 it occurred to him that a unique and successful way to help
the financial situation of the Institute would be to buy a tract of 17 acres of land then being laid out in
building lots in the City of Harrisonburg, and to sell them to friends of the Institute at a profit. The
option was duly secured, and a profit of $4,500 was eventually realized. This was more than enough to
pay the debut, minus the annuities, and make it possible for the School to secure the house and lots
opposite the Ladies Dormitory that had been owned by G. P. Hott and E. U. Hoenshel. Rev. Ludwig
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 20
4. Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (SCI), 1900-25
The new century found Shenandoah Institute in a prosperous and flourishing condition. The old
debt, which for so many years had plagued the faculty and administration, was reported liquidated, and
the Board of Trustees immediately began plans for additional buildings.
Howe Memorial Building. In October 1900 Rev. J. W. Howe offered the School a gift of
$1,500 to be used for a new building. A Building Committee was appointed by the Board comprising
A. S. Hammack, George P. Hott, C. M. Strickler, J. H. Ruebush, E. U. Hoenshel, C. A. Funkhouser, and,
in an advisory capacity, J. W. Howe. The Committee was instructed to arrange for a building on the
North Campus not to exceed $2,500. Mr. Park Teter was instructed to draw up plans for the new three-
story building, which was to be called Howe Memorial in consideration of the substantial sum offered
by Rev. Howe. The Board later decided that the building should be located on the South Campus and
that actual construction should start when an amount, less $1,000, of the bid accepted had been secured.
After securing bids from three contractors, the Board rescinded part of the previous
recommendation that the cost be held below $2,500. The bid of W. M. Becker & Son was the lowest,
and they were given the contract for $5,323.19. Actual work on the building began in Summer 1901.
Rev. J. W. Howe later decided to reduce the amount of his gift to $1,000, with the understanding that if
anyone else gave a larger amount that person should have the honor of naming the building. The
following subscriptions were obtained: $500 from the faculty, $300 from Mrs. Rebecca Howe, $200
from Mrs. Ella Shipman, $200 from a Dr. Carter, and $500 through a bequest from Mrs. Phoebe Andes.
Total subscriptions amounted to $3,827.
Howe Memorial was occupied in January 1902 and was formally dedicated on March 18, 1902.
The first floor provided room for offices and classrooms, and the second floor housed a large chapel or
auditorium with several small classrooms
to the rear. The third floor had two
rooms for meetings of the literary
societies. By moving the chapel and
recitation rooms from the Gentlemen’s
Hall, it was then possible to provide
more dormitory rooms for the young
men. The actual cost of the building was
$6,846, which was made up of $5,700 for
the building itself and an additional
$1,146 for the heating plant ($746) and
seats ($400) [see Section II.B.29, below].
Howe Memorial is pictured at the right.
The debt incurred by this construction program was offset by a plan of action formulated and
carried out by Prof. J. H. Ruebush. In 1904 it occurred to him that a unique and successful way to help
the financial situation of the Institute would be to buy a tract of 17 acres of land then being laid out in
building lots in the City of Harrisonburg, and to sell them to friends of the Institute at a profit. The
option was duly secured, and a profit of $4,500 was eventually realized. This was more than enough to
pay the debut, minus the annuities, and make it possible for the School to secure the house and lots
opposite the Ladies Dormitory that had been owned by G. P. Hott and E. U. Hoenshel. Rev. Ludwig
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 20
