Although
Patterson Hall may look familiar on the outside, once you step through its
doors, you will see the inside of the historical building has been transformed.
On Monday, September 12 the University of Kentucky celebrated
the renovation of Patterson Hall as well as the many women pioneers who passed
through its doors.
UK
alumna and former Patterson Hall resident, Myra Tobin, treasures the time she
spent in Patterson Hall as a student.
"It
was a dorm that had character. It was well built. It was stately. It was right
in the center of a beautiful grove of trees. It was a prestigious place to
live," Tobin said.
Women
were admitted to the university beginning in 1880, but they were not permitted
to live on campus until Patterson Hall opened in 1904.
"Patterson
Hall had a meaning that went far beyond just a place where students
lived," said Deirdre Scaggs, associate dean of UK Libraries Special
Collections Research Center.
As
the first women's dormitory, the hall gave female students the chance to
further their education and truly experience campus life — an opportunity
they had not had before.
"It
is important that we not forget the legacy of those pioneers and then how we
cast the buildings around it to further remember that we didn’t just have a
founding father at the University of Kentucky," said President Eli Capilouto.
"Our history is built on the endurance and perseverance
of — what I like to say — ‘our founding mothers.’"
Through
the doors of Patterson Hall passed many of the university's women pioneers
including Sarah Bennett Holmes, Cleona Belle Matthews Boyd, Georgia M. Blazer
and Frances Jewell. As the university celebrates the transformation of
Patterson Hall, it is also celebrating the legacies those women left behind.
"This
place, that building, its halls and its ground are hallowed and sacred because
these people had to go through something that was difficult in their
time," Capilouto said.
Outdated
residence halls bearing the names of these four women were torn down to make
way for UK's recent residential transformation. During the September 12 ceremony, UK
formally announced the renaming
of four north campus residence halls surrounding Patterson Hall to honor
these women. Champions Court I has been named Frances Jewell Hall. Champions
Court II has been named Georgia M. Blazer Hall. Limestone Park I has been named
Sarah Bennett Holmes Hall. Limestone Park II has been named Cleona Belle
Matthews Boyd Hall.
As
renovation began on Patterson Hall, the design team reviewed original plans in
order to best capture and preserve the building in a way that will better serve
current and future students. During the renovation, many remnants of the past
were found throughout the building including a 1906-07 class assignment
schedule and old postcards.
"It
should be a tribute to what UK was and where it’s going in the future,"
said Mary Vosevich, UK vice president for facilities management.
"I
think you need bridges to the past and Patterson Hall is one of those
bridges," said Tobin.
Photo courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing
Photo courtesy of UK Public Relations & Marketing
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