Lycoming College - Lycoming College Campus - Past and Present

The newly-finished Academic Center on the Lycoming College campus, viewed looking west in the late afternoon. The library wing is at the right of the photo. Snowden Library, in the east end, had study carrels throughout the building, groupings of study and lounge furniture, carpeted study areas with acoustical ceilings and fluorescent lighting. The instructional area contained twenty classrooms, five seminar rooms (capacity 100) and three lecture halls (capacity 1,000). Another large lecture hall seated 700 students. The AC originally included four physics labs, two psycholoty labs, one geology lab, two language labs, two mathmatics labs, and a planetarium. The theater, in the West Wing, had a seating capacity of 200 students. Snowden Library, in the east end, had study carrels throughout the building, groupings of study and lounge furniture, carpeted study areas with acoustical ceilings and fluorescent lighting.

Empty classroom in the newly-constructed Academic Center. On back of photo: 'With divider in place, the classroom provides ample space for up to 45 students seated at spacious tables.' The instructional area of the Academic Center has twenty classrooms, and five seminar rooms, and three lecture halls. Ne large lecture hall seats 700 students.

Lycoming College President D. Frederick Wertz addresses the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Academic Center. Rich Hall, a women's dormitory names in honor of the Rich family, is in the background. The Academic Center was part of the Lycoming College Project. Four buildings were planned for the land acquired from the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority. The description description that follows is based on a Williamsport Sun-Gazette article dated March 14, 1965. The four buildings in the project would be connected and face Ross Street, with entrances on all sides. The facility would have a theater, laboratories, faculty offices, and library. Wagner and Hartman Associates, the architects, designed all units to be constructed of glass and architectural concrete, which was different from the colonial style buildings on the rest of the campus. Parking lots were planned for the area of Little League Boulevard and Mulberry Street.

Fred A. Pennington takes his turn in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Academic Center. Pennington Lounge in the Academic Center bears his name, honoring him and his wife, Betty. A native of Millville, Pa., Mr. Pennington was a 1932 graduate of the college, and a member of the College's Board of Trustees for thirty-nine years. He served as chairman from 1964-76. Many of the College's buildings were constructed during this time, and the Academic Center was planned and built.

Congressman Robert F. Rich takes his turn at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Academic Center, as Assistant to the President, R. Andrew Lady, observes. Rich Hall, a women's dormitory named in honor of the Rich family, is in the background. The Academic Center was part of the Lycoming College Project. Four buildings were planned for the land acquired from the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority. The description that follows is based on a Williamsport Sun-Gazette article dated March 14, 1965. The four buildings in the project would be connected and face Ross Street, with entrances on all sides. The facility would have a theater, laboratories, faculty offices, and library. Wagner and Hartman Associates, the architects, designed all units to be constructed of glass and architectural concrete, which was different from the colonial style buildings on the rest of the campus. Parking lots were planned for the area of Little League Boulevard and Mulberry Street.

View of the back of the newly-constructed John G. Snowden Memorial Library.

Scale model of new Academic Center by the architectural firm of Wagner-Hartman Associates. The library wing is at the left of the photo.

View, looking northwest, of the construction of the Academic Center on the Lycoming College campus. This is the faculty office wing, built to accommodate at least sixty-six offices, with movable partitions permitting flexibility, and room for secretarial staff.

View, looking northwest, of construction of the Academic Center in progress. According to an article published in the Fall 1966 'Lycoming Alumni Bulletin', it was necessary to go forty-two feet below grade at the west side of the building by Mulberry Street before pouring the footings. 'More than 36 cubic yards of earth were removed. Structural steel first appeared in the middle of November.'

View of the renovation of the first floor interior of Drum House in progress.