Page 31 - UB Church and Shen Univ
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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
had been secured as an agent and had gather enough money to pay his own salary, but he turned over
very little money for the new building.
New Name for the School. In 1904 the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the
School. The name accepted, by permission of the State, was Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (SCI) and
School of Music. The main reason for the change was so that the Music Department might appear more
prominently than it had under the former name. Under the direction of Prof. J. H. Ruebush, who had
returned in 1898, the Department of Music had been expanded and enlarged, and it now formed a very
prominent part of the Institute.
1905 Improvements. Attendance in the following
years increased, and it became apparent that new facilities in
the dormitories and Dining Hall were needed. In 1905 the old
“L” part of the Ladies Dormitory was torn away, and a larger
addition to the main building was substituted. The entire first
floor was then converted into a Dining Hall with a seating
capacity of 130 people. The second floor was made into seven
rooms for the ladies. The Ladies Dormitory and the adjacent
Men’s Dormitory were joined together, making room for a
large Ladies’ Society Hall with a stage at one end. Rooms
above on the second floor accommodated six more students.
The entrance to the Men’s Dormitory was changed from the
south side to the front. Both buildings were fitted for steam
heat to replace the expensive and inefficient wood stoves located in every room. A sewage system was
installed, and hot and cold running water were placed in the Ladies’ Building. The water supply was
furnished by a 50-ft tower and windmill, with overhead tank on top of the building. Iron beds, dressers,
and mattresses were furnished for all the rooms. A double porch was constructed that added to the
beauty and convenience of the Ladies’ Building. Both dormitories were repainted and electric lighting
was supplied to all the buildings. In addition, the campuses were laid out in courts for basketball, tennis,
and croquet. The total cost of all these improvements was $7,000. Plans for addressing the debt
incurred by these improvements are not reported.
Raising Funds for Additional Facilities. In 1907 the men were obliged to move out of the
dormitory and find rooms in town in order to provide on-campus living facilities for the large increase of
young women students. Eight of the men were able to room in the building across the street, which had
been purchased earlier in the year. The Principal asked the 1907 Annual Conference for additional
funds in order to provide more dormitory facilities for both men and women students. He stated that
there were other needs of the School as well—a new athletic field, a better water supply, and new
equipment for the scientific laboratories.
In 1908 the Conference adopted resolutions recommending that the months of August,
September, and October be set aside for a concerted action upon the part of all friends of Shenandoah
Institute to free it from debt and provide for much needed improvements. The Board and faculty had
pledged a sum of $2,500 on condition that the full amount of the $7,741.91 debt be secured by assessing
50 cents per member to the various churches. The faculty agreed to assist by going to various parts of
the Conference to lecture, preach, and sing, charging nothing but their expenses. [The outcome of this
campaign is not evident in the records.]
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 21
had been secured as an agent and had gather enough money to pay his own salary, but he turned over
very little money for the new building.
New Name for the School. In 1904 the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the
School. The name accepted, by permission of the State, was Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (SCI) and
School of Music. The main reason for the change was so that the Music Department might appear more
prominently than it had under the former name. Under the direction of Prof. J. H. Ruebush, who had
returned in 1898, the Department of Music had been expanded and enlarged, and it now formed a very
prominent part of the Institute.
1905 Improvements. Attendance in the following
years increased, and it became apparent that new facilities in
the dormitories and Dining Hall were needed. In 1905 the old
“L” part of the Ladies Dormitory was torn away, and a larger
addition to the main building was substituted. The entire first
floor was then converted into a Dining Hall with a seating
capacity of 130 people. The second floor was made into seven
rooms for the ladies. The Ladies Dormitory and the adjacent
Men’s Dormitory were joined together, making room for a
large Ladies’ Society Hall with a stage at one end. Rooms
above on the second floor accommodated six more students.
The entrance to the Men’s Dormitory was changed from the
south side to the front. Both buildings were fitted for steam
heat to replace the expensive and inefficient wood stoves located in every room. A sewage system was
installed, and hot and cold running water were placed in the Ladies’ Building. The water supply was
furnished by a 50-ft tower and windmill, with overhead tank on top of the building. Iron beds, dressers,
and mattresses were furnished for all the rooms. A double porch was constructed that added to the
beauty and convenience of the Ladies’ Building. Both dormitories were repainted and electric lighting
was supplied to all the buildings. In addition, the campuses were laid out in courts for basketball, tennis,
and croquet. The total cost of all these improvements was $7,000. Plans for addressing the debt
incurred by these improvements are not reported.
Raising Funds for Additional Facilities. In 1907 the men were obliged to move out of the
dormitory and find rooms in town in order to provide on-campus living facilities for the large increase of
young women students. Eight of the men were able to room in the building across the street, which had
been purchased earlier in the year. The Principal asked the 1907 Annual Conference for additional
funds in order to provide more dormitory facilities for both men and women students. He stated that
there were other needs of the School as well—a new athletic field, a better water supply, and new
equipment for the scientific laboratories.
In 1908 the Conference adopted resolutions recommending that the months of August,
September, and October be set aside for a concerted action upon the part of all friends of Shenandoah
Institute to free it from debt and provide for much needed improvements. The Board and faculty had
pledged a sum of $2,500 on condition that the full amount of the $7,741.91 debt be secured by assessing
50 cents per member to the various churches. The faculty agreed to assist by going to various parts of
the Conference to lecture, preach, and sing, charging nothing but their expenses. [The outcome of this
campaign is not evident in the records.]
Miller, et al., on History of S.C., 1875-1950 21
