From the Desk of...
Jim Whitehouse, Vice President of Major Gifts

February 20, 2004

"I’m going to Rob to work on a project," said a student to her dinner companions in Lower Baldwin.

"I’ve gotta go to Kresge for a dance rehearsal," one of her friends said.

"The lab in Putnam is calling me," said another.

And, so it is. The names of the buildings and components within are handy references, to be sure. Some even take on nicknames: The Stack is actually Gerstacker Commons. The Dow is made up of its building-block pieces of Herrick, Dean, Lomas, Sprankle-Sprandel and Ungrodt.

It is insightful to reflect on the people behind these names.

Some buildings are named to honor people who have served the college. My grandfather, W. W. Whitehouse, served on the faculty, beginning in 1922, and went on to become president of Albion. Whitehouse Hall and the Whitehouse Nature Center are named after him. Dickie, Seaton, Fiske, Norris, Lomas, Vulgamore--these are all named for former presidents.

Frank Bonta, ’49, served the college, principally in admissions, for almost 45 years. The Bonta Admissions building is named for him. Teachers, coaches and other servants of the college are also honored, such as art teacher Vernon Bobbit and the legendary Dr. Goodrich, the college chaplain who memorized the entire bible.

Other buildings and rooms are named to memorialize relatives of donors. Such is the case of Stockwell Memorial Library. Madelon Stockwell Turner graduated from Albion, then called Wesleyan Seminary, a two-year institution. She wanted a bachelor’s degree, so she battled for the privilege of attending the then all-male University of Michigan. She became the first woman to attend U of M. She bequeathed the money to name the library at Albion in memory of her parents. Her father had been principal of the Wesleyan Seminary, and her mother’s parents were among the first settlers in Albion.

Roy Karro, a retired stockbroker, pledged to give the same amount of money to Albion as he had to his own alma mater, and did so in memory of his beloved wife Mae Harrison Karro. But, he insisted that the building that carries her name NOT be called Karro Hall by the campus community. “I’m Karro,” he said. “She was Mae Harrison Karro.” Hence, when the apartment building was dedicated, the residents were asked to call it “The Mae.” The name stuck, to Roy’s pleasure.

Other buildings are named in honor of the people who either raise the money or pay to have them built. This is true of Ungrodt Tennis Center. Skip Ungrodt, ‘52, worked untiringly to raise the money to renovate the entire athletic facility in and around the Dow Center, and gave heavily of his own money. He died shortly after the dedication of the tennis complex, his dream fulfilled. Skip’s best friend, Bill Ferguson, with his wife Joyce, made the naming gift for the Ferguson building. (Read the plaque across from the elevator to see some of the many wonderful things the Fergusons have done for this old place.)

The name of the game: real people making real sacrifices for our college.