Jefferson House - University of Oklahoma - Norman, OK - Oklahoma Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Jefferson House is located just east of the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The marker and house is east of Jenkins and north of E. Lindsey.
This building was established for lower income students, to give them an opportunity to work for their room and board while attending the University of Oklahoma.

Text on marker:

Jefferson House

Jefferson House was built during the administration of President Joseph A. Brandt and was officially completed in time for the 1943 spring semester. Although construction for Jefferson House had been proposed several years earlier it was difficult to obtain necessary building materials at the time because the house did not have wartime priority. It was named for President Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. When President Brandt submitted the name of Jefferson House, he cited Thomas Jefferson as the first statesman to "interest himself in the education of the poor as well as the rich." It was constructed along with what are now Jones and Wilkinson Houses. All three were originally named for past United States presidents. Jefferson House was intended to serve as housing for lower income freshmen men and it included a separate building, which houses the cafeteria. Meal costs were prorated and all members were expected to "take turns waiting tables and doing common tasks." The dormitory originally had a large library and living room with wood-burning fireplaces and a recreation room. The two buildings that comprise Jefferson House were connected by one of the infamous steam tunnels, which inspired mischievous students in the 50's to explore them. Jefferson House currently is home to many of leading women athletes.

Women and athletics have had a long history at OU. Since the first enrolled class, women have played an integral part in the University's development. In fact, the first bulletin of the University of Oklahoma declared, "Any young man or woman who has finished the course in a good country school may enter the University and find educational work and a welcome." The first residential house for women was called Arline Home and advertised its "home cooking, home comfort,and home restrictions." Room and board was four dollars a week. The first semblance of women's athletics began around 1900 and consisted of gym exhibitions and calisthenic drills in the Franking Opera House, which was located on Main Street. By 1905, there as an OU women's "Gymnasium Squad" which practiced drills outdoors. A women's basketball team also began in the early 1900's and included Mary Alice Boyd, the daughter of the first University President David Ross Boyd.

County: Cleveland Record Address:: E. of Jenkins N. of Lindsey Norman, OK U.S.A. 73019 Rate the Site: Date Erected: unknown Sponsor (Who put it there): University of Oklahoma Web site if available: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   11/06/2014 Jffok visited it 01/12/2011 Max and 99 visited it

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