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Library showcases Memorial Hall history
A collaborative project between University Archives and the Office of Public Relations, the display, housed inside a glass case donated to the library, showcases informational signage created by Barbara Broge, assistant director of creative services in the Office of Public Relations, as well as a replicated section of the original 1923 architectural drawings done by the prestigious Philadelphia-based firm, Day and Klauder. Arranged on four shelves, with the replicated blueprint as the backdrop, the display charts the history of Memorial Hall, from its groundbreaking ceremony in 1923 to its latest incarnation as the home of UD’s Department of English, and gives viewers a summary of interesting facts about the building. “There are now two displays in the Reserve Room, one featuring the University of Delaware Library and this new one featuring Memorial Hall, certainly one of the most beautiful buildings on the campus,” Susan Brynteson, director of libraries, said. “There always has been interest in buildings on the campus, and I am delighted that this information is now so handsomely presented and available.” According to Monroe Givens, associate director of creative services in the Office of Public Relations and the designer chiefly responsible for the installation of the display, the Memorial Hall exhibit launches what will be a series of installations that will focus on various points of interest around campus. “We began with [a display of] Memorial Hall, because the signage that Barbara Broge created for the construction fence during the recent renovations was so well-received,” Givens said. “We still had the files, so it was a matter of creating smaller replicas of the original signs and enlarging a section of one of the original architectural drawings to use as the backdrop. “As time goes on, the display case will house exhibits of other significant campus landmarks as well,” Givens said.
When the 15-month, $9.8 million renovation of Memorial Hall took place in 1999-2000, Broge used the drawings in her research for the signs. And, renovators, too, have relied on the original Day and Klauder materials for following the original building structure. “I think what people find so appealing about the display is that it tells a story and creates a sense of history,” Brown said. “Visitors [to archives] find the original drawings very interesting, and when [Broge’s] signage was on the construction fence during the 1999 renovations of Memorial Hall, it drew many positive comments. Passersby were fascinated by what they learned, and if you were walking across campus, you couldn’t help but read the information. It caught your eye. The library display recreates this story of Memorial Hall.” Originally envisioned as a collaborative “gift” from Delaware citizens to honor the 270 Delawareans who lost their lives in World War I, Memorial Hall served as the University’s library from 1924 to 1963. After the transfer of 300,000 books to the newly built Morris Library in 1963, Memorial Hall was converted into a multipurpose classroom and office building. The most recent renovations transformed Memorial Hall, now listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, into the home of UD’s Department of English. The exhibit will be on display in the Morris Library Reserve Room throughout the fall semester and is free and open to the public during regular library hours. For the Morris Library schedule, call (302) 831-BOOK. Article by Becca Hutchinson To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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