Hays Hall

Hays Hall
Hays Hall, circa 1913
General information
Construction started	February 28, 1901
Completed	June 23, 1903
Demolished	1994
Cost	$95,977.59
Technical details
Floor count	5 floors
Design and construction
Architect	Frederick J. Osterling

Hays Hall was a residence hall at Washington & Jefferson College. The architectural work was performed by Frederick J. Osterling and it was named after President George P. Hays. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students. Rooms were arranged in a suite style, with communal bathrooms on each floor, and shower baths on the 5th floor. In 1912, the Academy closed and Hays Hall was used by Washington & Jefferson College students. At various times, Hays Hall housed the bookstore and a dining hall. By 1968, Hays Hall had deteriorated to the point where it no longer able to house students, but the bookstore remained. In 1982, the building was declared a fire hazard and closed for all uses. While various efforts sought to renovate or restore Hays Hall, including a push to have it named a historical landmark, Hays Hall was demolished in 1994.

On February 28, 1901, the Trustees of Washington & Jefferson College purchased a plot of land on the corner of Beau and College Streets from James H. Hopkins for the construction of a new dormitory to house students for the Washington & Jefferson Academy. The new "fire-proof" building, named Hays Hall after President George P. Hays, contained three floors of dormitories. It was designed by famed Pittsburgh architect Frederick J. Osterling. It opened for use on January 8, 1902 and was completed on June 23, 1903, with a total construction cost of $95,977.59. All told, Hays Hall could house 60 students, plus 6 faculty members and the Academy Principal's family. The first floor contained a large stairway, reception hall, a dining hall and kitchen facility capable of feeding 150, and an office area. The amenities included steam heat and electric lighting. The floors were arranged in a 2-room suite style, with each student having his own room plus a communal study area. Each floor had two communal bathrooms, with three shower baths on the 5th floor.

When the Academy was closed in 1912, Hays Hall was used as College's first dormitory, housing 80 college students.President James D. Moffat planned to use Hays Hall as the beginning of a school-wide dormitory system, as this was becoming standard in Colleges at the time. Upperclassmen were given the first opportunity to acquire rooms. Room and board was "furnished to students as near to cost as possible," which amounted to $5 to $8 a month in 1912. "Table board" cost $4 a week. The affairs of the dormitory were regulated by an elected student "senate." The rooms were furnished and linens were supplied by the College for free. Miss Sadie Hewitt was employed as the "House Mother" and took care of the students. In 1915, residence in Hays Hall was restricted to freshmen and the faculty compelled out-of-town students to take rooms there, a College first. Renovations were made in the 1924, including a redecoration of the rooms with new carpets and furniture. The Beau Street wing on the first floor contained a soda fountain.