The History, Haunts, and Myths of Bunce Hall, Draft

Kristin Wiley

Assignment 1

Comp I: Professor Bateman

2/7/11

The History, Haunts, and Myths of Bunce Hall

Bunce Hall a beautiful building from the outside with a vast history, haunts, and myths placed at the center of Rowan University making it the physical and symbolic heart of the campus. When looking at Bunce from the outside the first thing someone might notice is that the building is backwards. Bunce was the first building built on campus and at the time they thought that the land in front of Bunce would be cheaper but in fact the land behind it was. Bunce hall was intended to be the center of the University and wanted to be the iconic focal point. Some of that is true seeing as though any picture of the University usually is taken in front of Bunce. Bunce is a very significant part of the university and is typically the first thing shown on a tour. In front of Bunce is University green; where commencement services are held. But who is Bunce? Why such a significant building named this?

Bunce Hall was named after a man Edgar F. Bunce, who after many other honors was named the second president of the University. On the Rowan University Website you can see the history of him and makes it very clear why they would name this building after him. Bunce started his education in New York when he graduated from Fredonia Normal School. His first job in the field of education was a fourth grade teacher but this didn’t last long seeing as though he was promoted to superintendent of the district just two years later. He received his Bachelors of Arts degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City, and continued with his education even further to get his doctorate from New York University. He then went on to be the superintendent in the districts of Mount Holly, and Metuchen, during this time he also taught classes at Rutgers University and was the director of its Demonstration School. Keeping busy he then went on to become the Vice President and director of the teacher education department at Trenton Teachers College and then continuing to became director of teacher education for the entire state of New Jersey. During this time he wanted to visit all the Normal Schools in the state but Glassboro impressed him and stole all of his attention. After hearing the news that the President at the time Dr. Jerohn J. Savitz was retiring he decided to apply for the position of President. Bunce became the President the same year Glassboro Normal School became a college in 1937. He had goals such as expanding course offerings, boosting enrollment, especially male enrollment and did so within the first year of being president from 15-20%. He managed to do so by reconstructing the athletic department. But as any establishment, enrollment took a huge hit when World War II broke out dropping the University down to a mere 170 students, including only two males. Bunce also got approval for grades 5-9 curriculum and graduate program. Not to mention his encouragement and success of getting the college accredited by The American Association of Teachers College in 1938. Bunce retired after seventeen years of being president in 1952. But he wasn’t ready to completely stop working he became the President of the New Jersey Retired Educators Association and was named President emeritus of the college in 1970. After such an impressive career the buildings name is more than worthy to be named Bunce Hall.

Bunce hall is not only the heart of the University but it also has a lot of myths about it. When you look at Bunce you can still see the engraving of “Glassboro State” right under the newly engraved Rowan University. Then you walk in the front doors and you see beautiful marble walls and floors that are in front of where Tohill Theater is. Tohill theatre is named after Elizabeth Tohill who was a Theatre Professor at the University. As shown in Weird New Jersey a student tells how he was cutting through the building after a night class to avoid the cold when he opened the door on one side of the building, the door which usually closed relatively fast seemed to have been held open and then slammed shut, it instantly got very cold in the building and the air became very thick, they claim to hear footsteps behind them but no one else was in the hallway when they started to run the footsteps picked up there pace as if they were chasing him, it followed him all the way through the building and got to a point where he felt as though the presence was on top of him, he sprinted through the other side of the buildings door swinging the door open and again it did not close right away then slammed harder and faster than anyone human could possibly close it. The windows of the door then fogged up and frosted over, the boy decided to bear the cold for the rest of his stay at the University. Speaking to a current theatre student Mathew Allegretta, he claims the ghost still comes around during rehearsals and performances to make sure that shows are up to Elizabeth Tohills high expectations.

To this day, and for the duration of the University commencement ceremonies will be held on the University Green in front of Bunce Hall, pictures will still be taken to show the rustic beauty of the University and express the great education that students receive at Rowan University. Students take for granite just how impressive this college is and all the changes that have been made. Even though Bunce Hall is no longer technically the center of campus, with new buildings and construction improvements currently happening and that will continue to happen Bunce hall will always be the heart and soul of Rowan University.

Sources:

www.rowan.edu

Moran, Mark, and Mark Sceurman. Weird N.J. Volume 2: Your Travel Guide to New Jersey's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 2006. Print.

Interview:Allegretta, Mathew Theatre Student at Rowan University