The North Texan, Volume 7, Number 2, January 1956 Page: 1
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NORTH TEXAS STATE COLLEGE, DENTON, TEXAS, JANUARY, I9&6 NO. 2
W. Joseph McConnell
Tower Now Under
FIRST CONTRIBtfTOR^Ben H. Wooten, president of the First
National Bank of Dallas, and chairman of the NTSC Board of Re-
gents, made the first contribution to the McConnell ^Memorial
Tower. A former student of Dr. McConnell's, Wooten is shown
looking over pians for the tower with President J. C. Matthews.
-The lowje'r of the new admini-
stration'' building under construc-
tion at NTSC will be named the
W. Joseph McConiell Memorial
Tower, in memory of the college's
late president emeritus, jwho-died
Nov. 24.
NTSC President J. C. Matthews
announced the decision of the ad-
ministration and Board of. Regents
shortly aTt e r TTr. McConnell's
death. He said that Mrs. McConnell
had decided to place a symphonic
carillon in the tbwer.
"A rnjmber of friends of Dr
McConnell have asked what they
memory," Dr. Matthews. said, "It
has been suggested that they ijnjjht
help in pledging the carillon. It
is felt that many ex-students,
friends of the college, and long-
time friends of Dr. McConnell, will
want to have a part in this .fit-
ting tribute."
Immediately following the an-
nouncement of the-plans for the
carillon, ex-students, faculty mem-
bers, students* friends of the col-,
lege, and personal friends of Dr.
McConnell began making contribu-
tions. First to- contribute was Ben
Wooten of Dallas. Wooten, an ex-
student of the college, studied
under the late Dr. McConnell when
he was teaching at NTSC. Wooten
is also chairman of the NTSC
Board of Regents.
CHAPTERS CONTRIBUTE
According to Dr. Matthews, ex-
student 'chapters have already sent
ibutions and a num-
ber of former students have-con-
tributed, individually. "It is ex-
pected," he said "that many organ-
ized chapters of the ex-student
association, and many more for-
mer students, will contribute fol-
lowing this announcement of the
plans for the memorial.'*
Memorial gifts -for the towe,r
chimes should be addressed to the
office of the president of the col-
lege. .
Dr. McConnell, who served as
NTSC president for 17 years,, re-
signed and was named president
emeritus in 1951. During his ad-
ministration, 22 major buildings
smaller structures were built on
the campus. - . . , ^
Four times since 1928 a " tower
was designed as part of the build-
ing program of the college. There
had always been the idea that
cTiimes would be. located in the
tower. The first such proposal in
1928 called for,.an electric clock
and chimes to replace tlfe old cur-
few bell. "•••• .
Expansion Under
McConnell Noted
When Dr. W. Joseph McConnell
became president of North Texas
State in 1934, the campus cover-
ed "24 acres with buildings valued
at $716,200. •
When Tie "retired" in "1951,"the
campus area and the value of
-bmjdings had each increased more
<>haJn twelve-fold—m ore than
$9,000,000 worth of structures had
300-acre plant. .
The first to rise during his ad-
ministration was Marquis^- Hall,
women's dormitory, in 1935. In
the years until World War II
halted construction, new buildings
included Orchestra Hall, an ad-
dition to the hospital, the Library,
Home Management House, old
Post Office, Music Hall, and'^d1
ditional dormitories: Terrill Hallj,
Chilton Hall, and one unit of Oak
Street Hall.
The postwar influx of students
required even greater expansion^
(<f physical facilities. Begun in
1946 were Bruce Hall for women,
the Club H^use| " and a second
wing of Oak Street Hall. In 1947
the , Union Building and Journal-
ism Building were started.
Eleven ,. Buildings —
Fn March of 1952, a comprehen-
sive iive-and-a-half million dol-
lar building. ..program" was climax-
^with the dedication of 11 units
completed during the latter years
<>f the/ McConnell administration,
most of them made possible bv:
the constitutional amendment for
state college buildings. 3
These included Masters Hall for
biology and chemistry, four Quad-
/ rangle dormitories for men, the
Women's Gymnasium and Men's
Gymnasium, "Stadium. Library ad
At Long Last . . .
Dream of Memorial Tower Comes True
dition, Education Building, and
"^^dJliftrHall, the newest women's
dormitory. - - — - .
In all, 22 major buildings and
many other temporary and small-
er structures were built on -the
North Texas campus during the
17 yeaj-s of the McConnell presi-
dency. I , „
Nearly thirty years ago, the first
steps were taken to locate a me-
morial tower and chimes on the
North Texas campus.
„ The dream began with an .an-
nouncement in the Campus Chat
on' June 22, 1928, df plans by ex-
students of the college for the
erection of a memorial tower to
be dedicated to World War vet-
erans. —> V '* 1
An. executive committee headed,
by JpGk Koonce suggested that
the tower be located south of the
Library (now the Historical Build-
ing). They asked that its construc-
tion be started Nov. 11, 1928, the
tenth anniversary of the Armis-
tice. ~
Plans for the monument were
drawn by Neil Ford, former stu-
dent of the college. The tower was
to be 130 feet high with a base 20
feet square and a tower proper 12
feet square. - —
"About 100 feet from the ground
there will be two electric clocks
with chimes which will take the
place of . .curfew," the Chat .story
reported. "A ' series of colored
lights. will be placed at the~ top.
A winding stairway will lead to
the top of the,tower,"
The executives committee in
charge of raising $60,000 by popu-
lar subscription was Koonce, chair-
man; Tom Ratliff, Tom England,
: -Jv.:... A:...AttdejrSKJ- Wade,"
Thompson, Mary C. Wijson, and
Mary Ruth Cook. .
The tower was not built, and
laterj-Ford sketched a proposed
recreation building ' in which the
tower was- incorporated. The plans
didn't get to the building stage,
but the idea remained a dream of
students and exes* during the next
decade.
The W. Joseph McConnell Me-
morial Tower of the new admin-
istration building will bring to ful-
fillment* three decades of planning
for an outstanding architectural
center of interest on the campus.
North Texas State College - has
its tower. .. •
Any Exes in Your Home Town?
If there are ex-students from
North Texas in your area who are
Hot members of a local organiza-
tion, tell them about the local ex-
student group.
If there is no organization in
your area, you may .obtain a "cer-
tificate chartering a local groujr:
Write to f>r. Harold Farmer at
NTSC Sta.tion, Denton, Texas, for
details, "1-
UB Plans
.World War II, towhichrN'TSC
ex-students gave so much, stimu-
lated sentiments for a memorial
structure anew, and in the Chat
of Aug. 17, 1945, plans .were, an-
nounced for- a drive for a student
union building as a memorial.
Plans by Architect "George L.
Dahl again showed a towpr and
clock. But once again, available
funds did not permit_construction
of the tower as part of the memo-
Hal union building. A fourth pre-
liminary sketch was made by Wil-
son-Patterson, Fort Worth archi-
tects, in 1947, but. funds did not
permit construction of the tower
and plans were changed, i
So it is that students^ ex-stu-
dents, and friejnds of North Texas
State witrhe* able to say this Sep-
tember: "At long lajfet."
MEMORIAL TOWER—A dream of ex-students of the past 30
years wilf come true when the memorial tower on the new admin-
istration building is completed this year. Above the entrant* of
the new structure will be inscribed: rtW. Joseph McConnell Me-
morial Tower, 1955." , „ . /.. ■* ■ . T~- . .
Ex-students contributed to this
fund, which was ultimately used
in 1948 in furnishing the present
Union Btiilding.
DREAM REALIZED
"From that "time to this, every
generation of students and ex-stu-
dents nas had in mind that there
would be a tower as the center of
interest on the campus," Dr. Mat-
tews explained. "This dream is
being realized in the form of the
tower on'the new administration
building which will be finished in
September."
The building is under construc-
tion- at-Avenue B and Chestnut!
which is now the heart of the cam-
pus.
Dr. Matthews reported Dr. Mq-
Csnnell's great personal pleasure
in the design of the new building.
'From the inception of the art-
ist's drawing until the time the
tower took shape in steel and mor-
tar," President Matthews declared*
"Dr. McConnell watched this long-
time dream of the college come
true—and looked upon it as an
accomplishment which he, faculty
members, students, and ex-students,
had long anticipated.
"It is fitting that one who hasr
had so much to dp. with developing
the physical plant of the college
should be memorialized in this
symbol of the college's growing
stature. The administration and
Board of Regents felt it uniquely
fitting that the tower should be
named tl\e. ,W. Joseph McConnell
Memorial Tower."
Carillon Planned V
In Memorial. Unit
The Symphonic Carillon in the
W. Joseph. McConnell Memorial
Tower Will consist of some sixty
electronic bells, according to Dr.
A. M. Sampley, NTSC vice-presi-
dent, and a member of the carillon
committee.
The carillon may be played .man-
ually from a console with a key-
board sii
It may also "be played by record
rolls and set to present programs
at arty desired times, either on the
hour or at more frequent inter-
vals, he explained.
"Thus," Dr.. Sampley pointed
out, "on Homecoming Day, North-*
Texas State College songs can be
played at predetermined times
throughout the day. Patriotic and
seasonal records will also be avail-
able for state, national, and other
holidays." ~ ~
There will be a console room in
which music students may prac-
tice on the carillon. Volume can
be controlled so as to be heard only
within the building or over the
whole campus area.
The carillon will become.* part
of the memories which studente
wilt associate with Worth 4*exaa
State College," Dr. Sampley added.
T
M ■
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North Texas State College. The North Texan, Volume 7, Number 2, January 1956, periodical, January 1956; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc98873/m1/1/?rotate=270: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting University Relations, Communications & Marketing department for UNT.