Memorial Hall (University of Georgia)
Encyclopedia
War Memorial Hall is a landmark building on the campus of the University of Georgia
(UGA) in Athens, Georgia
, United States.
The impetus for the building began in 1903 as a joint project between the local YMCA
and the University to construct a recreational facility; however, the YMCA eventually decided to build their own building elsewhere in Athens. The University began construction in 1910 on Lucas Hill and spent $59,000 before halting construction when no additional funds were available.
Athens businessman and alumni Harry Hodgson (class of 1893) renewed construction on the building at the conclusion of World War I
by leading an Alumni Committee fundraising campaign to complete the building in honor of those UGA students that served and died in the war. The War Memorial Fund, UGA's first capital campaign, drew contributions from the Rockefeller Foundation
and renowned UGA benefactor George Foster Peabody
amongst others to collect almost $800,000.
Upon completion in 1925, bronze
plaques were installed in the rotunda
of the hall that contained the names of every UGA alumni that died in the war. UGA Chancellor David Barrow
wrote the following inscription that was placed on the rotunda
's rim:
War Memorial Hall served as the student recreation center until the Dean William Tate
student center was opened in 1984. Memorial Hall was then used to house the student-run radio station WUOG and several other campus organizations in addition to serving as the class registration facility. Memorial Hall is also the home of the University's Department of Intercultural Affairs, which contains such branches as the African American Cultural Center, International Student Life, Multicultural Services and Programs, as well as the LGBT
Resource Center.
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(UGA) in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
, United States.
The impetus for the building began in 1903 as a joint project between the local YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
and the University to construct a recreational facility; however, the YMCA eventually decided to build their own building elsewhere in Athens. The University began construction in 1910 on Lucas Hill and spent $59,000 before halting construction when no additional funds were available.
Athens businessman and alumni Harry Hodgson (class of 1893) renewed construction on the building at the conclusion of 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...
by leading an Alumni Committee fundraising campaign to complete the building in honor of those UGA students that served and died in the war. The War Memorial Fund, UGA's first capital campaign, drew contributions from the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
and renowned UGA benefactor George Foster Peabody
George Foster Peabody
George Foster Peabody was a banker and philanthropist.-Early life:...
amongst others to collect almost $800,000.
Upon completion in 1925, bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
plaques were installed in the rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
of the hall that contained the names of every UGA alumni that died in the war. UGA Chancellor David Barrow
David Crenshaw Barrow Jr.
David Crenshaw "Uncle Dave" Barrow Jr. served as chancellor of the University of Georgia in Athens from 1906 until his resignation in 1925 . His father was David C...
wrote the following inscription that was placed on the rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
's rim:
War Memorial Hall served as the student recreation center until the Dean William Tate
William Tate (academic)
William Tate served as the Dean of Men at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia from 1946 until 1971....
student center was opened in 1984. Memorial Hall was then used to house the student-run radio station WUOG and several other campus organizations in addition to serving as the class registration facility. Memorial Hall is also the home of the University's Department of Intercultural Affairs, which contains such branches as the African American Cultural Center, International Student Life, Multicultural Services and Programs, as well as the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
Resource Center.