The Women's Union
As mentioned before the Ohio Union only served as a student hall for male students enrolled at the University. Since there were only a small portion of women attending the university in the early 1900s, it was thought that they did not need a student union of their own. A small room in the university's building, University Hall was reserved for the use of the women's social center. It was nicknamed the "Gab Room" and maintained by the Ohio State Women's Council at the time, which they paid a 25 cent yearly membership fee to use the room. As more women started to attend the university it was clear that the small room in University Hall was not going to fit their needs. The Women's Council came before the board of trustees and demanded money for the construction of a new union. The board of trustees denied the women the funds for a new union space and advised them to bring the matter up to the University legislature to ask for funds for their building. The Women's Council then launched a campaign to get support of the construction of a new union for the women. Their hard work paid off and $150,00 was given for the construction of a new women's building. But, since this was around the time of the first World War, the construction was delayed because there was a University ban on any type of building construction until after the war was over. The patience was well worth it. After the war was over another $90,000 was allocated to the construction of the building. Even with the $240,000 funds for construction, it was still not enough to fully build everything. It was then decided that the building would have to be built in two different phases, the first being in 1919. The first phases included a gym as well as well as a recreational center. The second phase, and the completion of the building in 1927 included an indoor swimming pool, lounges, cafeteria and a kitchen for the women. The women's new building was named Pomerene Hall and is now used today for the History of Arts building, disability services and a campus dining area, Mirror Lake Creamery & Grill.
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Famous quotes containing the words women and/or union:
“I was always a feminist, for I liked intellectual revolt as much as I disliked physical violence. On the whole, I think women have lost something precious, but have gained, immeasurably, by the passing of the old order.”
—Ellen Glasgow (1873–1945)
“We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats, or a child of the future, the future of symmetry and ultimate success.”
—Frances E. Willard 1839–1898, U.S. president of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union 1879-1891, author, activist. The Woman’s Magazine, pp. 137-40 (January 1887)