87-Year-Old Haven Hall Housed First Law Department

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1950

THE ANN ARBOR NEWS, ANN ARBOR, MICH.

PAGE THIRTEEN
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87-Year-Old Haven Hall Housed First Law Department

Original Section Of Building Erected In 1862 For $19,012

An 87-year-old campus landmark—historic Haven Hall — perished in an agony of flame yesterday.

Originally erected in 1862-63 and extensively remodeled twice during the 1890's, the brick and sandstone building housed at various times the Law School, the Law Library, the General Library and the Board of Regents’ meeting-room.

Later, it quartered the Extension Service, the Bureau of Government and the departments of history, sociology and journalism.

Haven Hall had its conception in the mind of Henry Philip Tappan, first president of the University, whose turbulent administration from 1852 to 1863 was marked by a constant battle to expand the small, struggling institution.

In 1859, President Tappan realized one of his dreams with the creation of a “Law Department” (later the Law School), and then set about to have a separate Law Building constructed.

This effort bore fruit in 1862, with the letting of $19,012 contract to Thomas Fairburn of Detroit a 90 by 72-foot building which would house the Law Department and its library, the General Library and a meeting-room for the Regents.

By 1893, the University had again outgrown itself. The General Library had been moved from the Law Building to a separate structure of its own 10 years earlier, but the Law School needed still more space.

North Wing Added

Accordingly, a north wing was added in 1893. That, too, shortly proved insufficient. In 1898, another wing was added, and the Law Building underwent a drastic remodeling and face-lifting. It remained in that form until yesterday.

In 1929, the Law Library moved over to the New Hutchins Hall and, in 1933, the entire Law School followed suit upon completion of the present Law Quadrangle. The Regents moved to a new room in Angell Hall in that year.

It was also in 1933 that name “Haven Hall” was formally bestowed upon the structure, in memory of President Erastus C. Haven, who succeeded President Tappan and held office from 1863 to 1869.

Dr. Haven, a Presbyterian clergyman, had been appointed to the faculty as a professor of Latin in 1852.

One of the chief reasons for President Tappan’s dismissal in 1863 had been strong criticism of his steadfast opposition to any religious sectarianism in the University (a principle that has since been firmly rooted in University tradition).

Despite his background, President Haven proved to be just as staunch as his predecessor in opposing sectarianism. He strove to eliminate religion as a factor in the appointment of faculty members and to wipe out other traces of religious influence on the campus.

Two Buildings Added

University histories make frequent references to his “agreeable disposition" and “diplomacy.” His term in office was not notable for physical expansion, additions to the Medical and Chemistry buildings being the only building activity during the seven years.

He fought, unsuccessfully, for the construction of a separate building for the General Library and for an auditorium, but did bring about several major changes in curriculum which considerably broadened the University's offerings to students.

Among other things, President Haven was instrumental in bringing coeducation to the campus, although women were not formally admitted to the University until 1870, the year after his resignation.

He also helped to secure a state mill-tax for support of the University, which put it for the first time on a really sound financial basis.

Dr. Haven resigned in 1869 under a wave of criticism for having occupied a Unitarian Church pulpit for several Sundays and accepted the presidency of then new Northwestern University. 

New Departments 

When Haven Hall was given Dr. Haven's name in 1933, it became quarters for the Extension Service, the Bureau of Government and the departments of history, sociology and journalism.

The Extension Service was moved into the new Administration Building last year, but the three academic departments and the Bureau of Government remained there until yesterday's fire.

Haven Hall had an appraised valuation on the University's books of $112,000. There is no later appraisal figure. It contained 1,150,-000 cubic feet of space and the largest individual classrooms on campus, outside of the Law School.

These large rooms made the building especially suitable for history and sociology courses, where huge lecture sections are the rule.

State fire marshals had, at various times, branded Haven Hall a "fire hazard" but never actually condemned it. Fire escapes were installed last year on orders of the fire marshal.

ORIGINAL HAVEN HALL: Bearing little resemblance to the structure which burned yesterday, the old Law Building (left), renamed Haven Hail in 1933, looked like this when it was erected in 1862-63. Two remodelings during the 1890’s radically changed its appearance. The domed structure at right is University Hall, which has since been shorn of its crowning glory. Dr. Erastus C. Haven (lower left), second president of the University, for whom Haven Hall was named, served from 1863 to 1869.