by Ashley Watts, Sports Editor
After being built in 1907 and undergoing three name changes since, Northwestern’s Fine Arts building will undergo another name change Nov. 15. With this fourth name change, the building will be renamed “Ryerson Hall.”
In 1938, the building was named “Science Hall.” Considering his options, Ernest E. Brown, the university president at the time, thought of demolishing the building. Ultimately, Brown and R.R. Owens agreed to use $49,700 to convert the Science Hall into the Fine Arts building.
Governor E. W. Marland was hesitant to sign the bill.
“Since I’ve seen the building, I’d rather tear the thing down to the ground and start anew,” Marland said in 1938, according to “Northwestern Oklahoma State University: A Centennial History.”
“But of course, there may be much sentiment attached to the old building by graduates gone on, and so if Alva and you people at Northwestern want it to have the same appearance outside, I’m sure for it just that way,” Marland said.
Remodeling of the building began in August 1938. It was named “Vinson Hall” in honor of A.G. Vinson, but this name only remained there for a little over a year. Returning to the former name, Vinson Hall was changed back to Science Hall when a new building on campus took the former name.
In August of 1947, Science Hall was set to get a complete overhaul. It served as the campus headquarters for the National Youth Administration, the site for physical education classes, and a storage warehouse for maintenance materials. After signing a contract, NWOSU received assistance from Harmon Construction Company for the job.
The ground floor housed the industrial arts department’s metal-working shops and offices. On the second floor were drama classes. Music classes were on the third floor.
The remodeling was still not complete in the fall of 1948, when the Board of Regents decided that the structure would be named the “Fine Arts” building. A total of $175,000 was spent on the job.
It’s been known as “Fine Arts” ever since. But on Nov. 15, it will become “Ryerson Hall.”
The Ryerson family of Alva provided more than one-third of the funds necessary to help transform and update the building, the oldest on campus, during a recent remodeling project. The family has also contributed funds for endowed chairs, scholarships, and other campus projects.
After an article was published in the Northwestern News in the spring of 2019, Richard Ryerson provided the funds needed to fix the bell system in Herod Hall. The bell system had been broken for many years, but it is now working again. It plays songs every hour, and the bells go off every 30 minutes.
Ryerson served on the Regional University System of the Oklahoma Board of Regents from 1999 to 2008, and he owns W. W. Star Lumber Company, located on Flynn Street. The Fine Arts Building, located on the north end of NWOSU’s campus, is being renamed in his honor.
The building dedication ceremony will take place Nov. 15 at 12 noon. The Northwestern band will perform a few songs, and refreshments will be served.