Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History

Sauer, Anne

Branco, Jessica

Bennett, John

Crowley, Zachary

2000

East Hall, 1860

 

was built in 1860, at a cost of $19,191.90, to address the continuing need for dormitory space on the Medford campus. In the 1960s it was converted into classroom and office space, and continues to be used in that capacity.

was designed by the architectural firm Lloyd & Ruffing, and could accommodate fifty students in rooms on the three main floors. A dining hall was installed on the basement level, which because of the grade of the hill, had windows on three sides. This dining hall was the original commons dining hall for all of campus, but was converted into additional dormitory space after the completion of to house the commons. After World War II, each of the two-person suites was converted to three-person rooms. was used for army barracks in both World War I and World War II, and in the latter was used by the Navy V-12 Program.

While in use as a dormitory, was the subject of numerous student complaints. The dormitory proctor for the academic year 1910-11 typed up a three page memo to the administration outlining student complaints and his recommendations for modifications that should be made to the building, including the installation of storm windows on the north and east sides of the building, repairs to the bathtubs, and the expansion of the hours that the building was to be heated in the wintertime. One of the more difficult situations arose out of the fact that the only lavatory and washing facilities were located in the basement, with the result that "certain obnoxious practices have been perpetuated" by students on the upper floors "which are not only discreditable to the college and disgusting to newcomers, but demoralizing to the finer sensibilities and personal pride of the students. The reasons should be apparent why vessels of crockery or metal could hardly become permanent fixtures in a college dormitory." He recommends that an additional "closet" be installed on the second floor to remedy this situation.

In 1915, the students of petitioned President Hermon Carey Bumpus as follows:

"We, the undersigned, residents of , Tufts College, Mass., in order to decrease the number of 'roughouses' and to improve the general behavior of aformentioned residents of said dormitory, do petition you, President of Tufts College, to allow us the use of Room 19, , for a recreation room and also to permit us the use of one of the discarded pianos of the Musical Department."

Use of the room and piano was granted, accompanied by a gift of fall apples from President Bumpus. The secretary of wrote to thank President Bumpus for his kindness, stating that "the fellows are getting together and having 'sings' and incedentally becoming closer friends. Freshmen, sophmores, juniors and seniors are all alike in the club room. The discordedness...is fast dying away."

As of 2000, is used for academic purposes. It houses the Department of English and the Department of History, with offices for faculty and several small seminar rooms. A lounge on the first floor provides space for meetings, lectures and other gatherings sponsored by those departments.

Source: RNTB1; BG2

 
 
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  • The encyclopedia seeks to capture more than 150 years of Tufts' achievements, societal contributions and outstanding alumni and faculty in concise entries. As a source of accurate factual information, the Encyclopedia can be used by anyone interested in the history of Tufts and of the people who have made it the unique institution it is.
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 Introduction
 Content
Numeric Entries
A
B
C
D
Dame, Lorin Low, 1838-1903
Dana, Charles A., 1881-1975
Dana Laboratory, 1963
Daniel Ounjian Prize in Economics,
Davies, Caroline Stodder, 1864-1939
Davies House, 1894
De Florez Prize in Human Engineering, 1964
de Pacheco, Kaye MacKinnon, ca. 1910-ca. 1985
Dean Hall, 1887-1963
Dean, Oliver, 1783-1871
Dearborn, Heman Allen, 1831-1897
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, 1893
Department of Anesthesia, 1970
Department of Art and Art History, 1930
Department of Biochemistry, 1893
Department of Chemistry, 1882
Department of Community Health, 1930
Department of Dermatology, 1897
The Department of Economics, 1946
Department of Medicine, 1893
Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology
Department of Neurology, 1893
Department of Neuroscience, 1983
Department of Neurosurgery, 1951
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1893
Department of Ophthamology, 1893
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 1906
Department of Otolaryngology, 1895
Department of Pathology, 1893
Department of Pediatrics, 1930
Department of Pharmacology, 1915
Department of Physics and Astronomy, 1854
Department of Physiology, 1893
Department of Psychiatry, 1928
Department of Radiation Oncology, 1968
Department of Radiology, 1915
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, 1955
Department of Surgery, 1893
Department of Urban and Environmental Policy, 1973
Department of Urology, 1910
Dental Health Sciences Building, 1969
Dewick, Cora Alma (Polk), 1875-1977
Dewick/MacPhie Dining Hall, 1959
Dickson Professorship of English and American History, 1913
Dirlam, Arland A., 1905-1979
Dog Cart, 1900
Dolbear, Amos Emerson, 1837-1910
Donald A. Cowdery Memorial Scholarship, 1946
Dr. Benjamin Andrews Professorship of Surgery, 1987
Dr. Philip E. A. Sheridan Prize, 1977
The Drug Bust, 1970
Dudley, Henry Watson, 1831-1906
Dugger, Edward Jr., 1919-75
Durkee, Frank W., 1861-1939
Durkee, Henrietta Noble Brown, 1871-1946
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Z
 List of Sources