North Dakota State University Improvements – Fargo ND

Description

North Dakota State University was originally known as the North Dakota Agricultural College. The name was changed in 1960.

The campus newspaper The Collegiate reported on Nov 5, 1937:

“Up for approval before the local WPA council is an NDSC campus improvement, building renovation, and general landscaping plan involving expenditures amounting to $65,000. Out of the President’s office just a few hours ago broke the news that Mr. Theodore Loy, WPAdministrator for this district, has in his hands at this moment an application for approval of the plan as drawn up by Business Manager S. W. Hagen, Mr. Edward Nelson, Board of Administration member in charge of all state buildings and grounds maintenance, and J.VIr. Loy himself. The proposed $65,000 allotment totals the shares which both WPA and the State college would contribute toward the project. The hoped-for mutual agreement resembles the plan that the University of North Dakota and the Works Progress Administration has successfully collaborated upon for the past four years. It consists in the WPA furnishing the labor and the school the materials for construction…

Complete renovation of all buildings which includes painting, sanding, and rebuilding of wornout sections is just a part of the plan, say reliable authorities. They hope to enlarge and increase the number of classrooms. The present facilities were built when the total school attendance was a bare 700, whereas now it boasts a 1700 enrollment— the first time in NDSC’s history that it qualified for the classification of “medium-sized school.” Formerly it has been known as a “small school.”

With the advent of the proposed plan, aged and foot-worn Old Main, erected some 40 years ago, would be first to feel the effects of renovation. Extensive reconstruction in the basement especially will be considered.

An application for a $5000 WPA project has been filed by this school for improvements on the campus, according to Dr. West, acting president. The present plans call for a revision of the layout of the grounds, change in road and sidewalk system, and planting of ornamental shrubbery. Nurseryman Hilborn of Valley City conferred with Dr. West Tuesday on proposed change in landscaping. Under the present plans one of Hilborn’s assistants will spend a week here making a detailed study of the problems and planning changes if the project is approved.”