Tour Proctor Hall
Welcome to Proctor Hall. The early development of Proctor Hall occurred during the Methodist years of Henderson State University. Proctor Hall has an interesting history that spanned many years. It started with a $100 donation from the class of 1906 which was the first step in the realization of the alumni association's goal to build an alumni hall. Then, in 1909 the athletic association, in need of a gymnasium joined the alumni in a project to construct a building that would serve both groups. Ground was broken for the new building in 1910. The building was to be of Greek Revival order. Both groups raised over $3000 and students and faculty contributed labor. But only the foundation was completed when construction was halted. In the following years, the foundation became an eyesore as weeds grew out of the foundation. It was not until the late 1920's that the ground floor was partially completed to serve its intended purpose.
During the later years, Henderson State Teachers College partitioned a part of the historic foundation, referred to as "The Annex." At various times, this was used as a maintenance shop, a Men's Club Room, classroom, a nursery school, and a temporary home for the football team until Haygood Gymnasium was completed in 1935. The building stood incomplete until 1938 when with Workers Progress Administration (W.P.A.) constructed a modified one-story building for classroom purposes. This structure was erected on the front section of the foundation.
In 1937, President J. P. Womack reported to the Trustees that the W.P.A. had approved construction of six classrooms on the old but sound foundation. The Board agreed to borrow $5600 from President Womack at 4% interest in order to complete the W.P.A. project.
A year later the red brick building in the same architectural style as other campus buildings was completed. On May 23, 1938, exactly twenty eight years to the day of the original dedication, the building was named to honor Robert T. Proctor, the only professor involved in the original effort who was still connected with the college at the time. The completion of the building by the state literally symbolizes that the present institution rests upon the foundation of its Methodist predecessor and in 2008 that foundation is the only construction remaining from the Methodist era.
Proctor Hall continued to serve as a classroom building until the mid 1940's when it was converted to serve as the Home Economics Department. Since that time Proctor Hall has continued to house Home Economics Department more recently known as the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Materials taken from:
Henderson State College-The Methodist Years, 1890-1929 by John Hall
Henderson State University by Benny J. Bledsoe