FIRST Dormitory on Campus - Denton, TX
N 33° 12.791 W 097° 08.927
14S E 672527 N 3676447
A sign at the eastern approach to Marquis Hall notes its construction in 1935 to be the first dormitory at North Texas State Teachers College, today's University of North Texas.
Waymark Code: WM12W5P
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2020
Views: 3
The sign was placed by the University of North Texas in 2013. It features a vintage photo of this side of the building, back in the day when there were less trees and one could pull up to the curb to park, and it reads:
Marquis Hall, a three-story building with a partial basement, was the first dormitory on campus. The hall was built with Public Works Administration funds in 1935 to house female students. Among the rooms on the first floor were the main dining hall, grill, sitting room and Crystal Room, a community reception and dining area famous for its chandelier. In the spring of 1936, 114 women moved into the building. President W. Joseph McConnell said it was not the school's intention to make the hall "a place of reform for incorrigibles" but a "happy, most completely wholesome and satisfactory place." Residents were allowed to entertain young men from 5 to 7 p.m. on study nights and until 11 p.m. on weekends and could leave the dormitory to attend midnight picture shows on Saturdays with escorts or in groups. Mrs. McConnell, who chose the furnishings for the building, said formal dining with white tablecloths soon gave way to cafeteria-style service. The hall was a popular Sunday lunch spot for people from town, and the policy was to treat visitors like "guests in our own home." The dining service continued for 39 years, even after the dormitory was converted for office use. The building is named for President R.L. Marquis, who served from 1923 until his death in 1934, soon after construction began. On the grounds is a stone bench inscribed "in memory of our beloved president and friend." The 1935 senior class sponsored the memorial, each member contributing a minimum of 20 cents to begin the fund for the bench, which cost $575. Donations also came from other students, ex-students, faculty, staff and friends.
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The Living New Deal website notes that the government provided $210,000 to construct the building, and it was formally dedicated on April 27, 1937. Today, it is home to the university's International Program. The first floor is comprised of administrative offices, conference rooms and collaboration areas, with classrooms on the second and third floors.
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