STATE GYMNASIUM

A Gymnasium, built by students in 1883, without state funds, is discussed elsewhere, as is the Training Shed built in 1905 by the Athletic Council and students.

The earliest recorded expression by the Board of Trustees of the need for a gymnasium was in the minutes of the meeting of July 7-8, 1891, when the committee on State Appropriations included “A building for Armory and gymnasium” as one of the pressing needs. In 1893 the sum of $15,000 was requested for such a building. ¹ Two years later the asking was raised to $28,000.² By 1903 the estimated cost was up to $100,000.³ In 1908 the Board moved to ask the legislature for $150,000 for a Gymnasium Building to be used also as an Auditorium and Armory.⁴

It was September 1910 before funds – from the millage tax account - were finally made available for the long-sought gymnasium, and the architect was asked to prepare construction drawings and specifications.⁵

Bids were received in January, 1911, but they exceeded the appropriation and all were rejected. At that time the ISC Student reported the action and described the proposed building and anticipated changes:

The fact that all the bids for the construction of the gymnasium were rejected does not necessarily mean that the final completion of the building will be delayed, or that the building will be any smaller than planned at the present time. The bids, based upon the specifications drawn up by the architect, were beyond the $150,000 mark, which is the amount allowed by the appropriation.

At the present time it is thought that modifications in the exterior of the building will enable the contractors to bid within the $150,000 limit. The rejected plans called for rather ornate exterior details and it is believed that the interior plans can be retained without change, making changes from the ornate exterior to one of more plain appearance.

The plans call for a building 90 x 290 feet. Locker accommodations for 900 men will be provided for those who are taking gymnasium work. Shower baths in abundance are provided for. A regulation swimming pool, handball courts, a room for visiting athletic teams, a running track with twelve laps to the mile and other features usually found in a first class gymnasium are all included in the plans. The main room will be something like 170 by 80 feet. The ceiling girders in this room will be 24 feet from the floor. All in all, I.S.C. will have the largest and best equipped gym in the state when it is completed.

The question now comes – when we may expect the completion of the “gym”? This is rather a difficult question to answer, but in all probability the basketball games of 1912 will be played in the new building. It is safe to say that at least a year will be needed for the completion of the work. A new gymnasium, an athletic field with concrete wall with concrete bleachers, a field surrounded by a substantial brick or concrete wall with entrance gates in keeping with it all, this is the dream of the students of I.S.C. The dream will come true, but only with the passing of the years.⁶

In April 1911 the Board adopted the following resolution:

Resolved: That the Building Committee is directed to proceed with the erection of the Gymnasium Building at the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts by direct employment of labor and purchase of supplies, with authority to contract for such portions of the work or material as it deems desirable, and employ necessary assistance for the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds.⁷

On May 22, 1911, the ISC Student reported that construction was starting that day. Early the following year Clyde Williams and Professor Beyer were authorized to visit other gymnasiums “to acquaint themselves with the detail equipment necessary to the most efficient gymnasium work, and that then they shall be held strictly responsible for seeing that, within the limit of the money allowed, the Gymnasium is properly equipped.”⁸

The building was ready for use in the spring of 1913.

The workmen in charge of putting up the apparatus in the gymnasium will have their work completed in a couple of weeks and Dr. Hackett can start his classes as soon as the students have taken their physical examinations and the lockers are assigned.

The entire east end of the main floor is to be used for horizontal bars, traveling rings, parallel bars, horses ladders, ropes for climbing and weight lifting machines. At present about half of the rest of the floor is occupied by the two new batting cages which went into use Saturday afternoon. The varsity are using these from 4:30 on, every afternoon so all those wishing to try their hand with the bat must get out before that time.

No definite schedule has been arranged for as yet for the men taking gym work and will probably not be before next fall, because it will be necessary to experiment with the time schedules of the other college courses this spring. Dr. Hackett promises to keep all comers busy, however, so nobody should be afraid to get gym clothes and appear on the floor, fearing that there will be no excitement.⁹

It was fall, however, before the swimming pool was ready for use according to an item in the ISC Student for Oct. 21, 1913:

With the announcement that the swimming pool in the new gymnasium is ready to use, it is worth while to remind many who will enjoy this equipment that the credit for having a pool is largely due to Mr. Thomas Sloss, superintendent of grounds and buildings. When plans for the new gymnasium which had been prepared with great care by Professors Beyer, Williams and Jack Watson and others had been finished and submitted to building contractors it was found that the pool would have to be omitted in order to keep the cost of the building within the available appropriation. Mr. Sloss who is a builder of many years experience told the board of education he would undertake to put up the building in addition to his regular work without extra salary and thus save the contractors profit for the construction of the pool. The board was glad to accept the offer and there is no question that the entire student body is now glad that he did.

A cinder track was installed on the ground floor level in December 1915.¹⁰

In the fall of 1918 the gym became the dining hall for the army recruits on the campus. On October 1 the Iowa State Student recorded that

The Dining hall… occupies the whole bottom floor of the big men’s gymnasium and will accommodate 2,500 men in an hour. The dirt track, vaulting pits, and other obstacles have all been removed, and in their place rests a floor containing no less than forty-four mess tables. The former brick walls have been whitened, making the big room more sanitary and clean.

Two weeks later the paper reported that the gymnasium was one of a number of buildings fitted up as a hospital for use during that fall’s influenza epidemic.

Use by the army did not last long. In January, 1919, it was noted that the gym was about to be restored to its earlier condition and use.¹¹

Over the next fifty years various changes and repairs were made, the most significant being the new exterior stairs at the center of the north side, providing a needed exit from the second floor level. This was completed in February 1936.¹² The Christian Petersen sculptured panels were installed shortly thereafter.

A fire in November 1962 caused a loss of $8500 for building repairs and between $8000 and $9000 loss to equipment.¹³

In 1967 a renovation project was undertaken to improve various facilities in the building. The swimming pool was partially filled in to obtain an even water depth of about four feet for the entire pool, a new track was installed replacing the dusty cinder track, and improvements were made in locker and restrooms.