Reprinted by permission, Greenville Advocate
Story and phots by Jeff Leidel

After 150 Years As GC Centerpiece

Approximately 150 persons gathered on the north side of Hogue Hall on the Greenville College campus Saturday morning to say their official goodbyes to the historic building.

A decommissioning ceremony was conducted by the college, as the board of trustees has decided that Hogue Hall should be replaced due to its deteriorated condition.  It is the final official program that will be conducted in recognition of the many years of service the structure has provided.
 

The building has been the centerpiece on the college campus for 150 years.  

David Hoag, senior vice president for advancement, commented during the program, "probably sometime this summer, in July, this building will be coming down."

He reported that the college is in the planning process for "Hogue Hall 2," and that planning process will take place through the summer and into the fall.  Hoag said that hopefully by October or November the college will have plans for the public to see regarding the next building.

It was also reported that this fall the college will be starting a major campaign to raise funds for a new building. 

"We're probably going to be in the neighborhood of $8 million for a new facility," Hoag commented. "We appreciate your prayers and support."

Following the presentation of a historic perspective of Hogue Hall and remembrances of the building by several individuals, those in attendance circled the structure.   

The bell, which at one time was in the bell tower of Hogue Hall and has been on display on the west side of the gymnasium for several years, was tolled.  Tom Ackerman was selected to use a mallet to ring the bell 10 times.

That was followed by the singing of the Greenville College alma mater.

Ceremony Opening

During his opening comments, Hoag said, "Today we say goodbye to a building that has been a major part of the history of Greenville College and Almira College for over 150 years.
 
"As you may know, for the past 10 months we've been dealing with some difficulty with the building, and after testing and surveys and the reports from our engineers and architects, the board of trustees made a decision this building will have to be replaced."

In an opening prayer, Dr. Donald Bastian, Bishop emeritus, called the decommissioning ceremony a "significant" and "unusual" event.  He asked for God's guidance and blessings as all plans are made.

Historical Perspective

Dan Jensen, faculty emeritus of Greenville College, provided a historical tribute to Hogue Hall.

He stated that the building is "one of the oldest buildings still standing in Greenville . . . but not for long. Time has taken its toll and we've gathered here to remember those who built and served in this grand old building."

Jensen said the construction was started in 1855. Bricks were made on site.  Beams, plus window and door frames were formed from trees on the property.

The college received its state charter in 1857 and the next year two rooms and the chapel were ready to be used.

In May of 1858, a committee met to deal with the problem of not enough money for the building.  All the money had been spent and another $10,000 was needed.

A fund raising campaign was successful.  By 1864, one-half of the rooms had been completed for 50 students, and one year later the building was completed.   It wasn't known as Hogue Hall at that time, but was "Old Main."

One incentive the college gave to donors was a one-year scholarship for one student to those who furnished a room.

In 1892, the Central Illinois Conference bought the building and the following year the building was named Hogue hall, in honor of the college's first president, Wilson Hogue.

Over the years, Hogue Hall contained dormitory rooms, classrooms, faculty and administrative offices and business offices.

"We almost lost Hogue Hall in November of 1957,"  Jensen commented.  A fire of unknown origin did an estimated $14,000 damage in the building.  He stated that many feel the fire might have been caused by an electrical short, starting in a second floor dormitory room.

The fire was contained to one side of the building, although there was considerable smoke and water damage.

According to the speaker, all but 16 men moved back into their rooms within a few days.

Jensen told the audience, "It's a wonder the building has survived as long as it has, given the presence of wood burning stoves and a kerosene lamp in each room."

He added that in the 1960s architects advised the G.C. president, Glenn Richardson, that both Hogue Hall and Ladue Auditorium should be demolished.   Jensen said that George Trost, a local bricklayer, and his step-brother, an engineer, studied both buildings and determined they were structurally sound.

Trost was quoted as saying to the president, "Don't let anyone tear them (the buildings) down as long as they can safely stay up.  Hogue Hall is, in my opinion, the coat of honors of Greenville College.  I don't ever want to see them torn down."

In 1975, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jensen continued, "Hogue Hall has been remodelled, refurbished, redecorated, rearranged, reconstituted, remodified, rewired, refashioned, refurnished, redone, replastered, restrengthened and researched.  It only remains for it to be removed."

Looking at the building from a personal perspective, he stated that many of his life-changing experiences occurred in the building. "It was here that I gained a new perspective on the things that mattered.  It was here that I learned how to see the possibilities for my future.  It was here that I came to know Jesus, an encounter that changed my life, my outlook, my values and my goals.

"Surely, that can be said of Hogue Hall as the symbol of Greenville College and of the experiences that have so profoundly changed so many students."
Four Remembrances

Asked to speak on the topic of "If These Walls Could Talk" were former Greenville College Professors Hugh Siefken and Jim Reinhard, former president W. Richard Stephens, and Keith Stewart, who will be president of the G.C. student body for the 2008-09 school term.

Siefken stated, "In the final analysis, Hogue Hall existed for 150 years primarily because of students. They were the real reason for the large brick structure on the lower campus. If no students, no ‘Old Main' is needed."   

The former science teacher at G.C. said he first heard about Hogue Hall from his grandfather.  Siefken arrived at the college campus in 1958, when the building was 100 years old.  

He remembered as a student that back then shims had been nailed to the bottom of many doors to make it appear the doors fitted properly.  He remembers that on a frequent basis mortar and dust had to be removed from items in the classroom.

Siefken made the audience chuckle when he told the story of one of his science experiments in the lower level of the building.  He decided to measure the movement of the two-foot thick brick wall when someone pushed on it from the outside.

Yelling "push now," he was shocked to see the results.  "As I remember, Dr. (Ralph) Miller (the science instructor) was as surprised as I was regarding the ease at which this thick wall could be deflected."

Siefken quickly reported that the experiment, done 50 years ago, was not a contributing factor to the present condition of Hogue Hall!

Siefken concluded that Hogue Hall "has been a place for students to live, to enroll, to pay bills, to talk with faculty, to receive classroom instruction and to experience a quality Christian education that has made all the difference."

Reinhard called the historic structure "our beloved Hogue Hall.  I know how dear this building is to you or you wouldn't be here today,"  he added.

He lived in the building as an underclassman and had a faculty office on the second floor for 33 years.  "It was there I made wonderful friendships with many students,"  the former professor commented.

Reinhard stated, "If these walls could talk, they would tell you for too many years, when it served as a men's dorm, the building was often called Hog Hole, and maybe rightly so.  The floors were not level, the baseboards and door posts were badly scarred and marred, covered with many coats of discount paint."

He also revealed that as early as 1951, the building was condemned, by his mother.  She was not fond of having to carry her son's possessions up three flights of stairs to his room, and was not impressed with the condition of Hogue Hall.

Reinhard said he has other fond memories of the building, meeting his wife-to-be on the bottom floor, and reading the wedding vows to one of his sons and wife on the steps of Hogue Hall.

Stephens said his first view of Hogue Hall was when his father drove him to the campus from north of St. Louis in the family pickup truck.  His father dropped him off and drove away.  "I did not know what history would unfold for me," he stated.

After earning a degree, Stephens would eventually return to Greenville College and become its eighth president.

Speaking from the perspective of the president, Stephens said, "Those walls would tell you that the office is a place of prayer, personal prayer, prayer to begin cabinet meetings, prayer to be thankful to God for his ruling and overruling the campus life.

"If these walls could speak, they would tell of the mission of the college."

Stephens told the crowd that President Hogue felt the "aim of the institution is to promote true and thorough Christian education.  No means will be spared in endeavoring to give every student the advantages of a liberal, cultural education for character will be our motto."

According to  Stephens, all of the presidents since then have honored that message of Hogue.

Regarding the historic building, Stephens commented, "Hogue Hall has been the center of presidential leadership.  It's also been the academic center. The dean's office has been in this hall, faculty offices soon occupied the hall, and it has been the place where the principles of Christian incarnation takes place in the lives of faculty and students."   

The former G.C. president said that while the building will be coming down, "We believe that new life will appear again and will get behind the establishment of a new Hogue Hall. We all look forward to that wonderful day."

Stewart said that while his memories of Hogue Hall are very recent, he has enjoyed hearing stories about the building from other generations of students and faculty members.      

"For me and other current students, Hogue Hall is a building that is heaped in legend," he stated.   He imagined that when it was constructed, Hogue Hall must have looked to others like a castle.  

Stewart imagined what it looked like to stand in the bell tower and "look out on the rolling plains of Greenville."

The student president continued, "We're all here today because in some way we have experienced the transforming power of Greenville College in our lives, and Hogue Hall has always been a symbol of that long and slow process of transformation."

Stewart said although the building will be torn down, "Greenville College has been and will continue to be a place where students can be stretched and nurtured in order to develop into the person God calls them to be.

"So, I suppose, if these walls could talk, they might say something like ‘carry on'."

Conclusion

Dr. Jeff Wilson, associate professor of music at G.C., invited alumni members of the choir to gather on the steps of Hogue Hall to sing "The Lord Bless and Keep You."

Dr. V. James Mannoia, Jr., the college's 10th president who will retire soon, spoke briefly before the crowd circled Hogue Hall and the bell tolled.

Mannoia said he remembers that one year, college officials gave themselves a year-end gift and paid $50,000 to get the bats out of Hogue Hall.  "That was cause for great celebration,"  he exclaimed.

The current president said he also remembers many times being on the steps of Hogue Hall, greeting parents who had a tear in their eye as they realized their son or daughter was graduating and stepping out into the world.  He also met and tried to reassure those nervous students.

Mannoia said his father lived on the third floor of Hogue Hall over 50 years ago.  He remembers visiting the campus and seeing the building.  "I have memories I won't forget,"  he told those gathered.

Mannoia commented that the ceremony was "a time for mixed feelings, of course, the sadness and memories, but also anticipation of a future.  

"I invite you to consider this as a watershed moment in the history of God's work . . .  through this tool, this instrument, in His hands, in this place."