Paris Junior College: Stadium - Paris TX

City:: Paris, TX
Site Type:: Education and Health, Parks and Recreation, Colleges and Universities, Stadiums
New Deal Agencies:: Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
Started:: 1941
Completed:: 1941
Quality of Information:: Good
Marked:: No
Site Survival:: Extant

Description

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the Paris Junior College Stadium in Paris TX.

A 1941 article published in the Paris News provides details about the new project: “Construction of Noyes Stadium, a $100.000 athletic’ plant for Paris Junior College, begins Monday (Feb. 10, 1941). Upon receiving a work order from the state WPA office, Walter Phelan, Lamar County’s general superintendent. Friday afternoon notified President J. R. McLemore that work would get under way next week.
One hundred and twenty-five men have already been assigned to the project.
The same administrative force that constructed the main building and is now building a gymnasium at the new PJC plant will be in charge of stadium work. W. C. Christenson is superintendent of the college job, and John Mahaffey timekeeper.
President McLemore said Friday the stadium will be ready for football games next Fall. Its concrete stands will seat about 7,000, according will scat to plans.
Considerable grounds work has already been done for the new athletic plant. This includes grading and filling and building a foundation for a cinder track.
C. H. Noyes, for whom the stadium is named, donated $10,000 to PJC for the stadium. This money, plus other assets of the college, enabled PJC to obtain WPA funds totaling $65, 972. These sums and the grounds project make the plant cost approximately $100.000.
After Mr. Noyes donated to the stadium fund. Paris Junior immediately had plans drawn up and submitted an application for government aid to the WPA. Presidential approval of the project was received in December, and it was announced work would begin soon.
Construction Delayed
However, actual construction was held up and college officials began to fear the plant would not be ready this Fall. Apparently, the last hitch was ironed out Wednesday. The college received a request for official approval of the project by the board j of trustees Wednesday from the Dallas WPA office. Six copies of the approval were promptly drawn up, signed by the president and secretary of the board and mailed to Dallas. And Friday, just two days later, a work order was wired to the local WPA office.”