New Dartmouth Hall to be Fireproof

An entirely new interior of steel and concrete, with modern fireproofing throughout, will replace the burned inner structure of Dartmouth Hall, it was announced by President Hopkins on May 17, following the approval of reconstruction plans by the Board of Trustees. Rebuilding will begin immediately after Commencement, if present wrecking activities have been completed and new materials have been obtained. It is expected that the historic hall, which was gutted by fire on April 25, will again be ready for classroom and office use by the start of the second semester next year.

The total cost of reconstruction has been estimated at $200,000, of which amount $79,000 will be covered by the insurance settlement. Gifts from various alumni will lessen the cost, and the balance will be handled as a College obligation.

Two ALTERNATIVES REJECTED

In deciding to make the new interior of Dartmouth Hall completely fireproof, the Trustees voted against the two alternative policies of limiting reconstruction to the amount of the insurance settlement or of making an additional expenditure of approximately $50,000 to provide for partial fireproofing. Commenting on the College's decision to go the whole way in insuring the future safety of the historic structure, which has twice been destroyed by fire, President Hopkins stated: "There was a definite and very positive expression of sentiment in messages from many of the alumni that in reconstruction of the hall fireproofing should be complete. This happened likewise to be quite in accordance with the opinion of the Trustees, who argued that Dartmouth Hall was the most representative building of the College, was the focus of alumni solicitude and the center of interest for visitors to the College, and that in reconstruction every hazard should be met in so far as this was humanly possible that there might never again be a destructive fire therein."

LARSON DESIGNING PLANS

The new interior plans by J. Fredrick Larson, College architect, have not been entirely completed, but they will follow in general those which were designed for the remodelling of Reed Hall. As was the case after the 1904 fire, the interior of the hall will be considerably changed in the process of rebuilding. Among the changes contemplated is the transformation of the large lecture room, familiarly known as 103 Dartmouth, into a double-tiered hall, providing greater capacity and more comfortable seats. In order to accomplish this, the main floor of the lecture room would be lowered to the basement and a balcony would be constructed on the present entrance level.

The exterior of Dartmouth Hall will be reproduced as exactly as possible, and the bell which was placed in the tower in 1904 will be restored to its former place. Tests have disclosed that the famous bell was unharmed in its plunge through the burning roof, and it will once more summon Dartmouth men to classes.

WILL MODERNIZE OLD Row

The rebuilding of Dartmouth Hall will complete the modernizing of Dartmouth Row, particularly with regard to fireproofing. Although the outer walls were rebuilt of brick in 1904, the interior of the building was entirely wooden up to the time of the fire last month. The College's present fireproofing policy did not begin until 1908, the year in which New Hampshire Hall was built. With only one or two exceptions, all College buildings today are largely fireproofed and fireproof corridors have been constructed in all dormitories, giving Dartmouth one of the best fire-prevention records among American colleges.

Charred Frame A charred window in the north wing of Dartmouth Hall forms a rough frame for Webster Hall.