19. Gymnasiums

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The purpose of the original gymnasium for Albion College, completed in 1892, was to "secure physical culture on the part of the entire company of students, strengthening the bodily forces of such as are in health, and correcting deformities and physical weaknesses of others...During college days, while the mind and nervous system are being taxed, the physical being should receive constant care, both to meet the strain incident to earnest college life and to fit for the labors of coming years." (unidentified source, n.d.)

The site chosen for the Gymnasium, designed by Wells D. Butterfield of Detroit, was that of the building known as the Bell House.  Albion's most wealthy citizen at the time and College Trustee, Jason W. Sheldon, bought the rickety Bell House and had it moved to the west side of South Monroe Street, between Cass and East Porter Streets, a section then low and marsh-like.  The new building had on the west a frontage of 52 feet, a depth of 94 feet, while on the east end there is an extension, making the width 70 feet.  The building was primarily constructed of brick and fieldstone, with three entrances, one for men, one for women, and another as a special entrance.  The structure possessed a steeply pitched roof with dormer windows and a large tower.  There was a gallery up a flight of stairs that could be used as a running track.  The building also contained a general room for instruction and drill, offices, a ball court, lavatories, bath rooms, dressing rooms, lockers, etc.  In 1893, the bell from the Bell House was placed in the Gymnasium and, for nearly 30 years, it was used to call classes in the morning and afternoon.

In January of 1922, a fire broke out in the south roof of the west end and rapidly spread throughout the entire upper part of the building.  A frozen fire hydrant impeded the work of firemen, in addition to lack of enough pressure to throw the water to the top of the structure, and as a result the building burned until the tower caved into the ruins, carrying with it the college bell.  The fire, which began around 9:45 a.m. was finally deemed "out" at 12:30 p.m.

"Though considerable dampness was in evidence because of the immense amount of water thrown upon the ruined building, there was a unanimity of dry eyes among the students, who seemed to look at the proposition from the standpoint that a brand new gymnasium would now have to be forthcoming in the very near future."  ("Albion College Gymnasium Ruined by Fire," Pleaid, January 1922)  The original building, which cost approximately $10,000 to build, would have required about $15,000 to rebuild and have never been adequate for basketball or indoor gymnastics.  The cry, "Io Triumphe" could be heard over the destruction caused by the flames.

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A roof was put on the remnants of the building, and it was turned into a cafeteria, where meals were served to students at a cost.  But when Susanna Wesley was built to house and feed students in 1925, the cafeteria was no longer necessary.

The Arts Department (now Art and Art History) moved into the building in 1930, when it was designated the "Hall of Fine Arts".  In 1938, however, the Arts Department moved to the then newly-constructed Stockwell Memorial Library, when the name of the old gymnasium changed again; this time to the "Hall of Home Economics" for the newly devised major.

The building was finally razed in 1986, after the Home Economics Department was eliminated by faculty vote in 1984.  The final reason for razing the building rather than restoring it was simple: "The building was salvaged 60 some years ago by putting a roof on it.  Its architectural integrity is nothing like it used to be." (Doxtader, Beth.  "Home Economics building faces ax: 'Razing' the roof planned for 1986," Pleiad, February 8, 1985)

To replace the original gymnasium, the Kresge Gymnasium was built. The building was named for Stanley Kresge, who graduated from Albion in 1923 and was the son of Sebastian S. Kresge, a former Trustee and the entrepreneur who built thousands of dime stores all across the United States, later known as K-Marts. The gym at one time housed the swimming pool in the basement, but that space has now been converted into a very impressive dance studio. The gymnasium itself is used for intramural basketball and volleyball games, which allows the Lomas Fieldhouse to be available for general recreational use of the entire campus community.

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