BOARDING COTTAGE (EAST)

The success of the first (west) Boarding Cottage resulted in the decision to construct another one to care for additional students. The contract was awarded in July 1882 in the amount of $5,420.

The Aurora of March 1883 reported:

The “new cottage” was opened at the beginning of the present term, and every room ready for occupancy is now filled. It has been proven in the last two years that this system of boarding is by far the most satisfactory as regards both cheapness for the student and a lessening demand for the exercise of executive ability on the part of our President.

When good accommodations can be furnished for the small sum of two dollars per week, the time has come when no young man in the State of Iowa need fail to secure a higher education. The demand is for more of these Boarding Cottages; and we are in hopes our claims will be so persistingly pressed that they will be furnished.

But why build so small? There is not a man whose vote helped make the appropriation in our last General Assembly that would wish to be cramped up in a room ten by twelve eight months out of the year. Did we say must? He would not endure it. But here are rooms of just that size each occupied by two inmates; these rooms have no transoms, and no means of ventilation. It is currently reported that a man officially connected with the erection of our two cottages declared that such a thing as a transom was an outrage, “letting any impure air in a room directly into the hall, and rendering thereby the hall extremely unhealthy.” This report may not be well founded; but the fact that such an important omission was made in their specification is sufficient proof of the lack of thought given to such a matter. We would rejoice to see future buildings of such a nature built after a more liberal plan, and with more reference to the comfort and health of those who must use them.”

A porch was added in 1886. In 1890 “the third floor… was partitioned off into six fine rooms. The boys successful in securing these rooms were in luck and now put on more style than is in vogue on the second floor Main Building.” ¹

The two lower floors were remodeled in 1894, following plans by Capt. Whiting. The work was done under contract by A.H. Chaffee. In 1897 East Cottage became a living quarters for teachers. Four years later a change in use to training quarters for the football team resulted in a new name as “The Quarters”. A bathroom was installed in the basement in 1902 and “the football men are not so short on accommodations as they were for a long time.”²

An interesting note appeared in the IAC Student on March 7, 1903: “The college carpenter has been busily engaged this week putting in new doors at the Quarters. The old doors were kicked out the night after the Cornell game last fall.”

In 1905 both East and West Cottages were repaired and steam heat was piped to each room.

East Cottage was torn down in 1907.