The Creation of the Modern Dormitory

The University during the Early- to Mid-1900s

The Office of the Dean of Women

In 1906, the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents established the Office of the Dean of Women. The first Dean was Ada Comstock, serving from 1907 to 1912. One of the main duties of this office was to supervise the housing of female students. By 1915, the Dean of Women had to provide permission for women students to live in certain rooms and buildings.¹ For instance, in June of 1916, the Dean of Women released a list of recommended houses that were acceptable for women. She stated that "women students may not engage in houses other than Sanford Hall and the houses on [the] list without the permission of the Dean."²

Sanford Hall: The First Dormitory

In 1910, Sanford Hall became the first on-campus dormitory. It was originally built to accommodate ninety women.³ Women living on-campus in a dormitory during the early- to mid-1900s were seen as ideal, with the moral benefits of living in a dormitory being state in a bulletin to residents:

"From a dormitory, a girl absorbs much of an atmosphere that is delightfully different, an atmosphere that will mold her personality and character, and will help to develop her into the ideal American girl... [Additionally,] the educational effects of dormitory living are the development of integrity, trustworthiness, responsibility, and unselfishness." ⁴

By 1941, Sanford Hall converted numerous single rooms into doubles, increasing the occupancy to 245 women.⁴ After being expanded in 1964, and renovated in 1970, however, Sanford Hall today accommodates 502 co-ed residents.⁵

^{Residential Life Inside the Dorm}

Women living in Sanford Hall had many social opportunities. Social events were coordinated by graduate student counselors, who acted like the community advisors seen today in residence halls. Social opportunities included:

• Dances (formal and informal)
• Holiday dinner parties
• Musical groups (choir and orchestra)
• Intramural sports (basketball, archery, ping-pong, tennis, etc.)
• Card games (bridge)

Among these leisure activities, residents in Sanford could also be a member of the housing governing board, which had a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and representatives from each house within the dormitory.⁶

^{Housing Accommodations}

Housing for women had many accommodations, whether on- or off-campus. Inside each room, there were lighting amenities, ranging from gas to electric. There was also heating, with either vapor, hot air, or steam options. Students were also provided fully furnished rooms, including beds, desks, and chairs, to name a few. Finally, after analyzing photos of students' dorm rooms, they were very spacious. At Sanford Hall, students also had their own dining hall to provide meal accommodations. Having these amenities, in 1916, room and board cost between $20 and $30 per month.⁷

Housing for Men

In 1916, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs was created, tasked with finding and providing housing for men. After over a decade since the office's inception, in 1928, men finally got their first dormitory at Pioneer Hall.⁸ Pioneer Hall was the first dormitory in the Superblock area. Men living in Pioneer created their own association, the Men's Residence Association, which acted as a governing board for the dormitory.⁹ Two years after Pioneer was built, another men's dormitory, Dexter Hall, was built for men in the School of Agriculture on the St. Paul campus; however, it was razed in 1969.¹⁰

Additional Housing for Women

Comstock Hall

In 1940, Comstock Hall was built as an additional dormitory for women. It was named after the first Dean of Women, Ada Comstock.¹¹ It was built to house 274 women, containing single and double rooms. Comstock featured similar social events as Sanford, and it also included its own recreation room.¹²

Specialty Housing

In 1934, Nurses Hall, later renamed Powell Hall, was built to house women in the nursing school. However, it was razed in 1981 to make room for the University of Minnesota Medical Center. Finally, in 1939, Thatcher Hall was built on the St. Paul campus as housing for married students.¹³