Gingrich Library: Your Success Is Why We're Here!
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Masters Hall: from Dorms to Administration to Humanities The cornerstone dates 1920, but the first views of how it would look completed were sketches in the '20-'21 college catalogue. These architectural drawings depicted the eventual outside appearance of the new Administration Building. The inside has seen its share of changes, as well as the name to Masters Hall When Masters was first constructed, it was not even a part of Albright College. The grounds here in Reading were not known as Albright until the merger of 1929. Up to this point Albright was located in Myerstown. The pre-merger Reading campus was a small one and in great need of an additional structure to accommodate its increasing size. So with the construction of the new Administration Building the total number of building on campus was raised to four. The other three structures being: Selwyn Hall, a gymnasium, and the chapel. As originally built, the basement of Masters held the physical, chemical, biological, and domestic science laboratories. The firs floor held classrooms and offices. Additional classrooms and a library were located in the second floor. The occupants of the third floor were there on a slightly different basis, as it was a men's dormitory. The makeup of the building has changed over time. Many of the sciences moved into Science Hall, leaving the basement entirely to physics,. The third floor, at different times, housed Zeta and APO brothers, as well as freshmen. While the acquisition of Albright Court in 1951, it was no longer necessary to house men in the administration building. Since that time that floor has been converted and the language laboratory. Recently the building underwent further remodeling, including the addition of carpeting and the writing center. The building now bears the name Masters Hall. It was renamed and dedicated to Harry V. Masters, who started his term as president of Albright in 1938. He received his Doctorate of Philosophy from the State University of Iowa. Prior to coming to Albright he served as director, superintendent, educator, and ean of various schools and universities.
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