University of Mary Washington Then & Now

A Photography Exhibition

Posts in the 1930s category

Seacobeck

“In June 1930 Governor John Garland Pollard authorized the construction of the new kitchen and dining hall” 1  with living quarters in the basement for the Home Economics Department, and in spring 1931 the new dining hall was opened for occupancy. 2

Today, Seacobeck Hall is still the primary dining hall, and  it now offers three dining rooms for students with their own unique cuisine and décor: The Washington Diner, The Smart Market, and the UMW Bistro.  The Historic Dining Room at Seacobeck is used Monday-Friday for UMW faculty, staff, and their guests.3

Seacobeck Now

Seacobeck Hall, 2014
Alexandra Parrish, "Seacobeck Hall," March 21, 2014, Personal collection of Alexandria Parrish, University of Mary Washington.

Show 3 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley, Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 31. ↩
  2. Ibid., 31 ↩
  3. University of Mary Washington Dining, “The Restaurants at Seacobeck,” University of Mary Washington,http://www.umwdining.com/locations/index.html (Accessed April 6, 2014). ↩

George Washington

Construction on George Washington Hall (also known as GW Hall) began in 1938 and was completed the following year.1 The building was established to answer the need for classrooms and administrative space necessary to serve the growing student population. The building also contained an auditorium capable of seating 1,624 people and included a stage with dressing rooms located below. 2 In 1980, the auditorium was named Eileen Kramer Dodd Auditorium in honor of a former professor who retired after forty four years at the College.3 Located below the auditorium was a mirrored ballroom known as the “Hall of Mirrors” used for events and formal dances. The roof of George Washington Hall contained a roof garden used for special events but also as a recreational area for students to relax and eat. Today, GW is the home of administrative offices, including the office of the president. Neither the roof garden nor the Hall of Mirrors are present today, however, Dodd Auditorium is still a central part of student life. The auditorium holds formal events, performance art shows, and “Cheap Seats” a program that shows popular movies for students for only a dollar admission.

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George Washington Hall, 2014
Meaghan Sullivan, "George Washington Hall," March 21, 2014, Personal collection of Meaghan Sullivan, University of Mary Washington

Show 3 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008),43 ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid.,44. ↩

Westmoreland

Westmoreland Hall was completed and ready for students in 1939. 1   The residence is located next to George Washington Hall, the administrative hub of campus and across from Randolph and Mason residence halls. With the addition of male students to the University in the early 1970s, Westmoreland served as home to some of the overflow of males in need of housing. In the fall of 1975, it was turned into a coed dorm. 2 After this proved a success, the first coed dorm, Willard Hall, was established. Today, the building houses 111 upper-class students. 3

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Westmoreland Hall
"Westmoreland Hall," n.d., UMW Digital Archives, University of Mary Washington

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Westmoreland Hall, 2014
Alexandria Parrish, "Westmoreland Hall," March 21, 2014, Personal collection of Alexandria Parrish, University of Mary Washington

Show 3 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 43. ↩
  2. Ibid., 239. ↩
  3. University of Mary Washington Residence Life, “Westmoreland Hall,” http://students.umw.edu/residencelife/westmoreland/ (Accessed April 21, 2014). ↩

Student Organizations

Student organizations are an active part of UMW campus life. They hold events like Holi, concerts, and fairs. They also represent the student population. The SGA, or Student Government Association, is composed of students elected by their peers. A division of the SGA is ARH, or Association of Residence Halls, which specifically focuses on issues pertaining to residence housing. ARH also hosts “Mr. UMW”, a pageant-like event with a male student representing each residence hall.

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ARH, 2013
From top left to right: Robert Sharp, Helen Bower, Ray Celeste Tanner, Sammy D. Eagle, Ethan Lane, Christie Cons, Amanda Stocker, and Rachel Howard.
From bottom left to right: Sarah Mendelsohn and Alyssa Lieurance
"Association of Residence Housing," 2013, Personal Collection of Alyssa Lieurance, University of Mary Washington.

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