SCHEMAN CONTINUING EDUCATION BUILDING

This fourth and last building brought the Iowa State Center to completion in September 1975. This was the only one of the Center buildings planned on the basis of a written building program prepared by the University Architect. That program was given to the design architects in March 1972 and their schematic drawings were approved in June of that year.

Bids for construction were received and contracts were awarded in September 1973. Two years later construction was completed and the building was dedicated on September 21, 1975.

The five million dollar building was financed entirely by donations through the Iowa State University Foundation, including a $1,000,000 gift from Carl H. Scheman, a retired civil engineer who had graduated from Iowa State College in 1910. Between 1912 and 1918 he served as assistant to President Pearson. He then became associated with the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company for the balance of his career.

A gallery on the third floor of the building is the museum area for the Brunnier collection of China and other art objects and a doll collection. Other art displays are shown there on a temporary basis. Henry J. Brunnier, class of 1904, was also a civil engineer.

The auditorium, which seats about 440 people, was named for Thomas H. Benton, an agronomy graduate in 1914, who donated $250,000 for that purpose while he was a member of the Board of Governors of the ISU Foundation.