History of the Campus

The Scovill Science Hall Story

The idea of a new science building began during the last year of leadership under President John Charles Hessler. Alumni in New York, along with President Hessler, formed the idea of a new science building and began a campaign to raise funds from public and alumni sources. Some money was raised before the campaign was interrupted by the start of World War II.

During the acting presidency of Clarence Lee Miller, the Board of Managers adopted and announced the "Millikin Program of Advance," setting the objective of raising the sum of $2,000,000 by 1953, the university's centennial year. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Scovill, longtime residents of Decatur, established a trust. The Scovill Trust was announced on Nov. 27, 1944, the income to be applied to construction and maintenance of additional buildings. Subsequent benefactions by the Scovills established them as one of the top benefactors of the university.

Following the war, new President J. Walter Malone re-initiated the campaign in 1946 during his first year in office. Directed by Frank Walker, the campaign raised the estimated costs of construction of $262,500 by October 1946.
Unfortunately, rapid inflation costs after the war made that sum insufficient. Although additional appeals and a donation from the Millikin Estate raised the sum to $450,000, the preliminary bids started at $750,000, despite many revisions of the plans.

In August 1952, a campaign to raise the remaining $300,000 needed was launched under the direction of Zink Sanders, '07. By 1953, approximately $725,000 of the $750,000 costs were raised.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new building was held May 24, 1953, as a part of Baccalaureate Sunday services.
Scovill Science Hall was completed and occupied for use in 1955. Equipment was transferred from Shilling Hall to their new home in Scovill.

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