Whitby Hall: Residence Hall
Students lived in Whitby Hall for ninety-eight years, the building was built in 1914 to provide designated classrooms, an auditorium and many other services that would greatly improve the lives of students where they were residents or commuters. The building originally had students and sisters living in the building on all floors, with time the residence hall was contained to the third and fourth floors. Whitby Hall was a coveted place to live, even when there were other residence halls on campus, it was the closest to students classrooms. The prime location of Whitby Hall gave student's the opportunity to wake up just minutes before their early morning classes.
There are still many remnants of the former residence hall, the first and second floors women's bathrooms have showers and bathtubs. This is often an odd surprise for first-time users of the facilities. The third and fourth-floor stairwells are closed off by doors with, today inactive, key card locks, much like those at hotels. These doors are connected to the last students who lived in Whitby Hall. Students moved out in 2012 as there were better facilities available on campus.
Remembering Whitby as a residence hall connects the building its original role on campus. Whitby Hall is peculiar because of this dual history as an academic building and a residence hall. The building combined two important roles and functions in one places which created a different dynamic for students and faculty in terms of space. The odd showers and door locks help to keep this story of Whitby alive, it's hard not to ask why there's a bathtub in the academic building.
