*This blog’s author, Sarah Maske, is a senior at UNC Greensboro, with a double major in history and archaeology. She is interning in the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collection and University Archives for the spring 2019 semester.
“Dear Alma Mater, strong and great we never shall forget the gratitude we owe to you a never-ending debt; an honor to your name we give and love we pledge a new unfailing loyalty we bring o college dear, to you.”- Home Economics Map, 1934
Among the unique items in the University Archives artifact collection is a 1934 hand drawn campus map created by Woman’s College (now UNC Greensboro) student Emma Lee Aderholdt and her “assistants.” The map of the Woman’s College was sponsored by the Home Economics Club and represents campus buildings, providing insights into student life through comments and stick people illustrations.
The map includes buildings and events long forgotten, such as the Old Athletic grounds (now the location of the Petty Building), the Lantern Festival that took place in Peabody Park, and the May Day Festival held in Foust Park. Each building has associated comments by the students including; “Thar’s where my money goes,” “Trees and Squirrels,” and “What’s your I.Q?” The stick figures, which are placed throughout the map, not only show the events that took place at Woman’s College, but also humor, including a poor “Freshie” stick figure forced to clean the McIver Statue. The map also has a detailed border that is a timeline of types of transportation used by the students to travel to the college.
The 1934 map of Woman’s College campus reflects a different campus than we know today. There have been numerous modifications and expansions made to campus since the late 1930s, and this map includes including buildings and views that have long been forgotten.
Walker Avenue Divided Campus
Today, Walker Avenue is divided into two sections: the campus entrance at Tate Street which dead ends in the Stone Building and the campus entrance from Josephine Boyd Street (formerly South Aycock). But in 1934, Walker Avenue cut through campus as a major road carrying business to Tate Street. One side of Walker Avenue included Spring Garden Street, which held the first campus library (Forney Building), the Auditorium, the Administration (Foust) Building, and all academic buildings except the Home Economics Building. The other side of campus was all residential dorms, recreational facilities, and the Dining Hall. A pedestrian bridge crossed Walker Avenue at College Avenue for the students’ safety. In 1948, the city of Greensboro officially closed the campus section of Walker Ave and the pedestrian bridge was demolished in 1950 to make room for the new Library and Student Union. 1
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| Kirkland and Woman’s Dormitories |
Kirkland and Woman’s Dormitories
Located across from the Spencer Dormitory Dining Hall (now Fountain View Dining Hall), the Woman’s Dormitory opened in 1912. The building was named to honor the “Noble Women of the Confederacy,” but was more commonly known as “Senior Hall.” Kirkland Dormitory was built in 1914 and was named in honor of Lady Principal Sue May Kirkland who passed away unexpectedly that year. Both dormitories were built in the Craftsman Style and were demolished in 1964. Today, Fountain Plaza is located where the dormitories once stood, and the area has become a popular campus hangout.
The Y.W.C.A. Hut
The Young Women’s Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) Hut was built in August of 1918 by a group of upperclassmen, “The Carpenterettes,” and three male workmen.3 The Y Hut was located on the edge of Peabody Park, adjacent to Guilford Residence Hall, and became the central hub for student life. The Y Hut was built in the Bungalow Style with board-and-batten siding and four large brick fireplaces.4 The interior was an open, multi-purpose floor plan with exposed rafters, wooden furniture, and a kitchenette. Each fireplace was reserved for one of the four student years (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and the class colors hung on banners above the mantels. In addition, the Y Hut had modern amenities, including Edison bulb lighting, a gas stove, a refrigerator, and an “Army and Navy” model phonograph donated by Thomas Edison, Inc. The Y Hut was unique as it was the only building on campus to be managed and cared for by students. Some common events that were hosted in the Y Hut included dinners, luncheons, sing-alongs, dances, and “exam teas.” The Y Hut held a special place in the students’ hearts until it was demolished circa 1950.
The McIver Memorial Building
Built in 1908, The McIver Memorial Building was named in honor of the College’s Founder, Charles Duncan McIver (1860-1906). It was the school’s main academic building and was located in the shadow of the Administration (Foust) Building. As the student population grew, the east and west wings were added in 1920 and 1922. The McIver Memorial Building was demolished in 1960, and replaced by a new McIver Building, which was demolished last year, spring of 2018. The area is now under construction for the new nursing building, which is planned to open in the summer of 2020.
The campus has changed tremendously in the last 85 years and it continues to grow. The 1934 campus map gives a unique view of campus buildings, views, and traditions long forgotten. While this blog mentions a few noticeable differences to the campus, the map has small details seem to appear every time it is viewed. It is easy for the reader to spend hours staring at the stick figures and their comments.
By Kathelene McCarty Smith
1. Allen W. Trelease, Making North Carolina Literate: The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, From Normal School to Metropolitan University, (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2004) 150-151.
2. Building, Grounds, and Views Subject File, Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Greensboro.
3. “Girl Carpenters Are At Work At Y House: State Normal College Students Undertaking to Clear Ground and Build a House,” Greensboro Daily News, August 30,1918.
4. Class in Community Organization, “The “Hut” Movement in Greensboro: “The Hut” at the North Carolina College for Women, the City Y.W.C.A. Hut and The Hut of the First Presbyterian Church. A Story of How the Huts Have Come to Meet the Real Community,” North Carolina Community Progress, November 5, 1921, vol. 3, no. 3, 1.
