Eberly Hall
Encyclopedia
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Designed by architect Benno Janssen
Benno Janssen
Benno Janssen was an American architect.-Childhood, Education and Career:Benno Janssen was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Oscar Janssen and Thekla Susenbeth. Janssen studied at the University of Kansas. In 1899, he began working in architecture in Boston, Massachusetts. He also continued...
and dedicated in 1921, Eberly Hall was originally named Alumni Hall, and is still sometimes referred to as "Old Alumni Hall" (Alumni Hall
Alumni Hall (University of Pittsburgh)
Alumni Hall at the University of Pittsburgh is a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark that was formerly known as the Masonic Temple in Pittsburgh. Constructed in 1914-1915, it was designed by renowned architect Benno Janssen of Janssen & Abbot Architects...
is now the name of another University Building).
History
When the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1917, by law of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, all male college students were subject to military training. In the spring of 1918, Pitt began to train students for war-related industrial work. The war activity had caused a huge influx of students to Pitt and an equally large shortage of space. Pitt alumni began a fund raising campaign to construct a sorely needed new building. The campaign was deemed a smashing success in that it raised $670,000 ($ in dollars), at the time $70,000 more than was needed due at least in part to both the excitement of alumni with the championship caliber play of the Pitt football team (national champions or undefeated in 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1920), a $100,000 ($ in dollars) contribution directly from the Athletic Committee's football receipts, and profits from the productions of the student theatre's Cap and Gown Club
University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre
The University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre, or Pitt Rep, is the flagship theatre company for the University of Pittsburgh Department of Theatre Arts. Pitt Rep features students on stage with professional actors and teaching artists staging public performances of classic masterpieces,...
. During construction which started in January 1920, it was discovered that the hillside was undercut with coal mines, some of which were on fire and emitting smoke upon digging. The mines were filled as construction progressed with the last fire being extinguished about a year after Eberly Hall was completed.http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pittmiscpubs;cc=pittmiscpubs;g=documentingpitt;xc=1;xg=1;q1=alumni%20hall;rgn=full%20text;idno=00c50130m;didno=00c50130m;view=image;seq=0092 By 1921 Eberly Hall (then called Alumni Hall), was dedicated and signified a departure from and end to the original design for the University's campus, a hill side Acropolis Plan by Henry Hornbostel
Henry Hornbostel
Henry Hornbostel was an American architect.He designed more than 225 buildings, bridges, and monuments in the United States; currently 22 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
. Ironically, Eberly Hall's architect, Benno Janssen
Benno Janssen
Benno Janssen was an American architect.-Childhood, Education and Career:Benno Janssen was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Oscar Janssen and Thekla Susenbeth. Janssen studied at the University of Kansas. In 1899, he began working in architecture in Boston, Massachusetts. He also continued...
, was the runner-up to Horbostel in a national architectural competition for the design of the original campus plan. http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pittmiscpubs;cc=pittmiscpubs;idno=00c50130m;node=00c50130m%3A11;frm=frameset;view=image;seq=90;page=root;size=s
Eberly Hall received its current name on September 11, 1998 in recognition of the Eberly
Robert E. Eberly
Robert Edward Eberly , son of Orville and Ruth Eberly, served as Chairman of the Board of Eberly Natural Gas Company, an oil and natural gas exploration and production firm. He was also a director of Gallatin National Bank...
family's long-term support of the University. The Eberly Family Foundation and the Eberly Family Charitable Trust, have supported student scholarships, the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program, and a chaired professorship in biotechnology. Their most recent gift will be used in conjunction with state funds to renovate Eberly Hall to support teaching and research activities of the chemistry department. Among the participants at the building rededication were Robert E. Eberly, his sister Carolyn Blaney, and Robert E. Eberly III.
Usage
Chevron Science Center
Chevron Science Center is a landmark academic building at 219 Parkman Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh...
which sits directly in front of it.http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-format=d.html&-lay=a&-sortfield=issueid%3a%3aissuedate&-sortorder=descend&keywords=Eberly%20Hall&-max=50&-recid=34860&-find= Eberly Hall still houses the Chemistry library at Pitt. The hall also housed the Department of Psychology until 1946http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-format=d.html&-lay=a&-sortfield=issueid%3a%3aissuedate&-sortorder=descend&keywords=Eberly%20Hall&-max=50&-recid=34361&-find=, and housed the Department of Computer Science until 2002, when the department was moved into Sennott Square
Sennott Square
Sennott Square is a major academic building on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The building designed by the architectural firm JSA was dedicated on September 5, 2002, and was the largest Pitt academic building constructed since 1978...
. That year, Eberly Hall underwent a $1.5 million renovation to house Pitt's Center for Molecular Materials Simulations and support services from Chevron Science Center
Chevron Science Center
Chevron Science Center is a landmark academic building at 219 Parkman Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh...
.http://mac10.umc.pitt.edu/u/FMPro?-db=ustory&-format=d.html&-lay=a&-sortfield=issueid%3a%3aissuedate&-sortorder=descend&keywords=Eberly%20Hall&-max=50&-recid=35768&-find= In 2010-11, $3.4 million in renovations are scheduled for its Chemistry Electronics Shop and its Nanoscience Laboratory in order to create new synthetic and spectroscopy laboratory suites. Currently, Eberly Hall houses the memorial room for chemist Alexander Lowy. The memorial previously resided in Clapp Hall
Clapp Hall
George Hubbard Clapp Hall is a contributing property to the Schenley Farms National Historic District on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, but has since been relocated.