- City:
- Kutztown, PA
- Site Type:
- Education and Health, Colleges and Universities
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Administration (PWA), Public Works Funding
- Started:
- 1938
Description
“Construction for Kutztown State Teachers College’s Schaeffer Auditorium began in 1938 by the General State Authority with funding from the Public Works Administration. Schaeffer was part of a large construction program announced by KSTC president Dr. Quincy A. W. Rohrbach who led the school from 1934-1959. The program included the construction of the portico on the north entrance to Old Main, a greenhouse for the study of plant germination and conversion of the existing chapel to a dining hall.
During construction Rohrbach would have to fight to keep the government contractors from painting over Schaeffer’s copper dome. Construction crews felt the paint would better protect the dome.
Completed in 1940, the class of 1941 was the first to hold its commencement exercises in the building on May 27 of that year.”
Source notes
https://www.kutztown.edu/events/schaeffer-auditorium-re-opening/history-of-schaeffer-auditorium.htm
https://library.kutztown.edu/c.php?g=229043&p=1518156
National Archives: Record Group 135: Public Works Administration; Projects Control Division; Entry 52: Indices to Non-Federal Projects; Report No. 5: Status of All Completed Non-Federal Allotted Projects, page 36.
"Public Works Administration", a Google Fusion Table by LaDale Winling, edited on March 15, 2011.
https://www.google.com/fusiontables/DataSource?dsrcid=578234
Site originally submitted by Evan Kalish on February 18, 2018.
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