(cover) NEMOSCOPE SPECIAL ISSUE LIFE IN BLANTON HALL (page 2) President's Corner It was in 1946 that the 63rd General Assembly appropriated funds that were later signed by Governor Phil M. Donnelly providing for the erection of residence halls on the campus of the State Teachers College of Kirksville. This was the realization of a dream of many years, for the college had long needed such buildings, especially for its women students. The architect of the residence halls was Bonsack and Pearce, Inc. of St. Louis, the firm who has designed most of the recent buildings on the campus. The residence halls were constructed by McCarthy Bros, of St. Louis. They commenced work in March, 1948, and the halls were ready for occupancy at the opening of the fall quarter, September 6, 1949. Although the original plans called for three buildings, the price of building materials advanced to such an extent following the legislature's appropriation that only two residence halls and a small section of the third could be built. The three buildings were designed in a harmonious "U-shape" with the girls' dormitory on the south, the boys' dormitory on the north, and apartments for married students in the middle dormitory. The apartments have not thus far been installed in this building since the college has had to use it for unmarried students. The residence hall on the south of the "U" was named Blanton Hall in honor of Joseph P. Blanton, third president of the college who served from 1882 to 1891. The cornerstone was laid May 29, 1948, with the Honorable Phil M. Donnelly, Governor of Missouri, delivering the address. The residence halls were dedicated October 21, 1949, by the Honorable James T. Blair, Jr., Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. The school was honored on this occasion by the presence of Mr. and Mrs. David A. Blanton of St. Louis, son and daughter-in-law of President Blanton. They were the honored guests at the dedicatory ceremonies. At the entrance of Blanton Hull is a bronze plaque; a memorial to President Joseph P. Blanton, erected by his son, David. In the basement of Blanton Hall are the dining room and the kitchen of the college. In this dining room hundreds of students eat each day, many of whom are students who do not live in the residence halls of the college. Also in the basement of Blanton Mall are a snack bar and a recreational lounge where students meet for social activities. Blanton Hall is very popular. There were more girls wishing to live there last fall than there were rooms available. No doubt Blanton Hall will grow more popular as its accommodations and facilities become known by girls wishing to attend this college. WALTER H. RYLE Blanton Hall Blanton Hall contains housing facilities for 144 women. The rooms are arranged in suites of two rooms and a connecting bath. Each room is designed for two girls and is furnished in hard maple with individual beds, study tables, desk chairs, and chests of drawers. In addition each room has a lounge chair and ample closet space. Residents may add drapes, bedspreads, and throw rugs to suit their individual tastes. There is a full length mirror in each room. A few rooms will accommodate four girls. Under the guidance of the director the girls supervise their own activities through an elected house council and system of monitors. Officers for the 1954-55 school year are: president Janys Ann Murphy, St. Charles; vice president, Darlene Rettinghaus, Clifton Hill; secretary, Pat Redding La Belle; and treasurer, Betty Over ton, Princeton. Cover Picture President Walter H. Ryle presenting Linda Sue Galloway, Perry, with check representing the first prize in the contest on "Why I Like to Live in Blanton Hall." Looking on are Charlotte Ann Jacobs, Humphreys, who won the second prize, and Carolyn Caldwell, Quincy, Illinois, third winner. NEMOSCOPE NORTHEAST MISSOURI STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI WALTER H. RYLE, PRESIDENT EDITOR ROBERT L. MCKINNEY (ON MILITARY LEAVE) ACTING EDITOR . . . . Ruth Towne ASSOCIATE EDITORS . . . . Berenice B. Beggs, Ruth Towne CAMPUS EDITOR . . . . C. H. Allen ALUMNI EDITOR . . . . Lula Allen EDITORIAL BOARD . . . . Pauline D. Knobbs, Wray M. Rieger, Orville Bowers VOLUME VII SPECIAL ISSUE NUMBER 2 LIFE IN BLANTON HALL A quarterly publication issued in November, February, May, and August. Subscription rate is $1.00 a year; single copy $.25. Address all communications to Ruth Towne. Entered as second class mail matter April 29, 1915, at the post office at Kirksville, Missouri, under the Act of Congress of August 24, 1912. Accepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized July 26, 1919. (page 3) LIFE IN BLANTON HALL NEMOSCOPE PAGE 3 WE WISH you could visit the campus of the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College at Kirksville. We would take you on a tour of beautiful Blanton Hall, our women's residence hall, and show you how interesting life in the dormitory really is. Since you can't all do that, we will take you on a picture tour instead. [photo caption] The grounds around the Residence Halls are beautifully landscaped (page 4) [photo caption] Catching up on the latest fashion news in the Green Lounge on the second floor are Marilyn Werr, Shelbyville; Carolyn Caldwell, Quincy, Illinois; Terry White, Emden; and Shirley Baxter, Jamesport. Anyone would like to find this bevy of pretty coeds under his Christmas tree. [photo caption] Sitting around the Christmas tree in the beautiful Rose Lounge are Roberta Butler, Unionville; Charlene Brooks, Center; Norma Hustead, Marceline; Pat Mead, Corydon, Iowa; La Verne Dudeck, Kirkwood; Wilma Klocke, Newark; Maurita Moore, LaPlata; and Janet Dixon, Winfield. "The Rose Lounge on the first floor is an enlarged version of a typical living room. We girls may entertain our friends there, meet our dates, or play the piano."--Norma Hustead, Marceline. [photo caption] At the piano is Norma Wilson, Moberly, while Mary Anna Billups, Cantril, Iowa; Anna Marie Korsen,Meadville; Mary Ann Caldwell, New London; and Jeanne Poole, Hannibal, do the vocalizing. (page 5) [photo caption] Playing a fast game of ping pong in the Recreation Lounge are Judy Kottman, St. Charles, and Joycelyn Mason, Edina. Watching are Thelma Yaeger, Moberly; Martha Whirrett, Pulaski, Iowa; and Carol Coleman, Renick. [photo caption] Dancing to the juke box in the Recreation Lounge is always fun. Keith Stout, Kansas City; Sharon Johns, Milan; Rita Green, Hannibal; George Hoog, Overland; Dolores McDonald, Jefferson, Iowa; Gordon McClimans, Greenville, Pa.; Lars Garton, Corydon, Iowa; and Mary Louise Wiseman, Maywood, dance while Colin Skinner, Reigate, England; and Gerald Doty, Benton, look on. "When we have a few free minutes the snack bar is a good place to come to get that coke we've wanted all day."--Martha Whirrett, Pulaski, Iowa. [photo caption] Taking advantage of the snack bar are Roberta Butler, Unionville; Charlene Brooks, Center; AkieKoigawachi, Hawaii; LaVerne Dudeck, Kirkwood; Sharon Johns, Milan; Barbara Moles, St. Louis. (page 6) PAGE 6 NEMOSCOPE LIFE IN BLANTON WHY I LIKE TO LIVE IN BLANTON HALL by Linda Sue Galloway Sophomore from Perry, Missouri, Winner of the First Prize in the Essay Contest EDITOR'S NOTE: Because, we wanted the girls at Blanton Hall to tell you themselves why they would recommend the dormitory to any prospective girl we arranged a contest for the best essay on the advantages of our women's residence hall. The first prize winner is printed below. DEAR JO-- This letter will probably be confusing to you because I'm so excited. A contest has just been announced for the residents of Blanton Hall. All we have to do is write an essay telling why we like to live in the dormitory. I just had to write to tell you all about it and what I intend to say. First, I am going to tell them what a wonderful chance the girls in the dorm have for meeting and becoming well acquainted with the other girls on the campus. I know that I have developed some friendships which will last the rest of my life. The dormitory life gives so many opportunities for a large group of girls to study, work, and play together. Then, I'm going to write about how much I appreciate the dormitory's nearness to the campus. That means a great deal on those cold or rainy days for which Kirksville is noted. It also means that I can sleep later in the morning and still get to my class on time. [photo caption] Leaving the dormitory for a pleasant evening are Becky Murch, Glendale, and her date, Russell Harrison, Portland. Since I have raved to you so many times about the many conveniences provided for the girls in the dorm, you can be sure that I'm going to mention that as a reason for my liking to live here. First, I'll tell about the cafeteria which is located in the basement of Blanton Hall. Meals are served three times a day. I know that if I had to eat out I would not eat as well-planned meals. The cafeteria is open to non-residents so guests of the girls and townspeople eat there, too. Boys in Nason Hall and Dorm C also eat in the cafeteria. That, in itself, could be a reason for living in Blanton Hall. I'd also tell about the maid service which is provided for the girls. Each room is cleaned by the maid once a week. I really go for that, because I don't particularly like to clean. However, there is a cleaning closet on each floor so that we can do our rooms if we are in the mood. I especially like the idea of having automatic washing and drying machines in which to do our own laundry. Of course, there is a small charge for the use of the machine, but even then it's so much cheaper than sending your clothes to a laundry or taking them home on week-ends. We also have ironing rooms on each floor so that we can iron or press clothes whenever they need it. There is no charge for these irons. In fact, I don't know where you could find a room as nice with all these conveniences for such a low price. That is also one reason why I like living here. Next, I'll tell how much I like the arrangement of the rooms in suites. There are only two rooms and a bath to each suite. Can you imagine a dormitory where there are only four girls to a bathroom? This means a lot when we are all trying to get ready for class and even more when we are getting ready for a date. The furnishings for the rooms are so nice. We can even decorate our rooms to suit ourselves. The suites allow for visiting back and forth between suitemates. Even more important, though the suite allows for privacy. I like the different lounges, too. There is a lounge on each floor so that a group of girls may get together to have a party, listen to records, or just have a gab-fest. These lounges also make a nice place to study late at night if you don't want to disturb your roommate. I'm sure you think I take advantage of that opportunity frequently, don't you? Have I ever told you about the recreational lounge that is located in the basement? If I haven't, then you are really in for a treat. There is a snack bar where short-orders are, if you will pardon the expression, the "order of the day." Soap flakes, bobby pins, shampoo, pencils, stamps, and many other articles can be purchased there. It's almost like a store, and it saves many walks uptown. The lounge is open to boys until closing hours. This could explain why the lounge is usually so well populated. The Rose Lounge is located on the main floor. It is a very lovely room where boys may call for their dates. It is also used as a reception room for guests. There is a small library located just off the lounge. Daily newspapers, magazines, and a few books are provided for the girls who like to read. As you can imagine I spend quite a bit of my free time in that room. I must end this letter and do my lessons for tomorrow. Don't you think that I have some very good reasons for living here? I may not win the prize in the contest, but at least I have let people know why I like to live in Blanton Hall. Love, LINDA SUE "Living in Blanton Hall not only affords you an opportunity to develop your own personality to the fullest extent, but enables you to help others with whom you come in contact to live a fuller life." --DONNA NAGGI, St. Louis. (page 7) LIFE IN BLANTON HALL NEMOSCOPE PAGE 7 Why I Like To Live In Blanton Hall by Charlotte Ann Jacobs Sophomore, Humphreys, Missouri, Winner of the Second Prize in the Essay Contest There are numerous reasons why I enjoy living in Blanton Hall. I will enumerate the various ones for you, so you may understand why I chose Blanton Hall as my home for four years. I appreciate the social facilities provided by the lovely Rose Lounge, where we may entertain our guests. It is a large polygen shaped room, carpeted from wall to wall and furnished with beautifully upholstered chairs and divans. There are several wide windows with rich, lustrous drapes and an inviting fireplace. There is also a baby grand piano, which affords pleasure for our leisure hours. Our parents, relatives, and friends may feel welcome to visit us at any time. The atmosphere is so friendly that we all feel at home here. For entertainment and relaxation from our studies, we don't have to go beyond our dormitory. We may play ping pong, dance, or just listen to good music in our recreation lounge. This is a get together place for all. Going downstairs to the cafeteria, one smells the tantalizing aroma of Mrs. Ransom's home cooked food. I especially enjoy this service on cold winter days, when I don't have to leave the dorm. Our dining room is beautifully decorated in colors of green and cream. I appreciate the friendship and fellowship that I enjoy there while I eat. We also have fun at the snack bar, munching food and visiting with friends. I'm glad my roommate and I have the privilege of selecting the drapes, bedspreads, and personal knick-knacks which make our room look "homey." We have lovely maple furniture, which is an asset, for our attractive room. Here I enjoy my work and leisure time to the fullest extent. When problems arise that I cannot solve, I am glad to know that I have the service of our house mother. She is most understanding and sympathetic. She enforces rules for her family of girls just as our own mothers enforce rules for their families. By these rules, which are in the Blanton (Continued on Page 10) [photo caption] Checking with LaVerne Dudeck, Kirkwood, at the desk, to see if Mom and Dad remembered to send a letter are Norma Hustead, Marceline; Wilma Klocke, Newark; Maurita Moore, La Plata; Charlene Brooks, Center; and Mary Burnham, Corydon, Iowa. [photo caption] The telephone is a part of the social life of every college girl. There is a telephone conveniently located in the small social lounges on each floor. Rita Green of Hannibal must be getting some good news. What did he say, Rita? (page 8) [photo caption] Most of the rooms are for two girls, but there are a few large rooms for four girls. Catching up on their studying in one of the four-girl rooms are Becky Crumpacker, Pollock; Carol Jenkins, Edina; Susan Kneeland, Bethel, Maine; and Roberta Durnal, who comes from Memphis. [photo caption] A sink, a hot plate, and a package of fudge mix are all a group of suite mates need to have a party. Each floor has a kitchen made to order for fudge parties. Charlene Brooks, Center; Janet Gutting, Kahoka; Roberta Butler, Unionville, and Becky Murch, Glendale seem engrossed in their task. How did the fudge turn out, girls? [photo caption] The library off the Rose Lounge is a good place for a card game. Joan March, Fulton; Pat Mead, Corydon, Iowa; Mary Anna Billups, Cantril, Iowa; and Shirlee Fischbach, Hickman Mills, look over their hands. (page 9) [photo caption] College girls never need an excuse to stop studying and enjoy a snack and a gab-fest with a visitor especially if she brings the refreshments with her. Loretta Ward and Iris Van Dyne, Unionville, seem to enjoy the cookies furnished by their suite mate, Noreen Nagamine of Hawaii. "Nearly everyday is washday for someone in the dorm."--Darlene Rettinghaus, Clifton Hill. [photo caption] The laundry room has two automatic washers and a dryer. There are also four sinks. Doing their laundry are Mary Jean Wilson, Bowling Green; Maurita Moore, LaPlata; Wilma Klocke, Newark. [photo caption] Pressing rooms on each floor are convenient places to iron a blouse or press a dress. Janet Fox, of Mendon, visits with Mary Louise Wiseman, Maywood, and Gwen Williams, Mexico, while they work. PAGE 10 NEMOSCOPE LIFE IN BLANTON HALL --Why I Like To Live In Blanton Hall (Continued from Page 7) Hall Constitution, the wise counseling of our house mother, and with the help of the house council, we live in an orderly fashion. Our housemother sees that we have specific quiet hours for study so that we may achieve as much as possible from our education. Studying is one of the most important factors in college life. I surely appreciate the quiet hours, which are required for that purpose. Through living in Blanton Hall, I feel that I have gained self-assurance, poise, and consideration for others. These things are helping to build my character. I enjoy associating with girls of other nations and learning to respect their habits and customs. Here I am learning to adjust to the many situations which arise, thus preparing me for my career after college. I can assure any girl, who is planning to attend college, that she would enjoy all of the conveniences and pleasures of the Rose Lounge, recreation lounge, cafeteria, snack bar, and the private rooms in Blanton Hall, as I do. Besides these things, she would also enjoy many intangible things, which are really the most important factors; in making life meaningful. Some of these are the comradeship of the girls, the warm friendship of the house mother, the homelike atmosphere, and the glowing embers of the fireplace, which insure warmth, comfort, and security. The sum of these tangible and intangible things equals our Blanton Hall motto, "Better Living while you learn." "For those last minute shampoos before a date the hair dryers prove to be very popular." -- Martha Whirrett, Pulaski, Iowa. [photo caption] Ruth Morlan, Vandalia, and Carolyn Talbert, Monroe City, catch up on their reading while they dry their hair. "In the dining hall we can eat at leisure and really enjoy our food and the company of our friends." -- Darlene Rettinghaus, Clifton Hill. [photo caption] At the table to the right are Mac Howard, Hannibal; Judy Hasssall, Webster Groves; Mary Sue Machin, Mexico; George Hoog, Overland; Rita Green, Hannibal and Kenneth Cobb, Vandalia. The boys in the background are Jack Harp, Vandalia; James McCracken, Pontiac, Illinois; Phil Williams, Vandalia; Jerry Harp, Vandalia; and Maurice Payne, Galt. (page 11) NEMOSCOPE PAGE 11 A HOME AWAY FROM HOME What Girls in Your Town Say About Living in Blanton Hall on the Campus of the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College "I regard Blanton Hall as my home away from home because of its friendliness and comfortable living." -- ELOISE SEAMAN, New Boston. "While our night hours may seem early when we are on dates, I have found they are approximately the same as I had at home." -- JOAN MARCH, Fulton. "I get to know more girls by living in the dorm and enjoying the fellowship I share with them." -- NANCY HEDGES, St. Charles. "Living in Blanton Hall has helped me get acquainted faster and easier. The girls really make you feel at home and wanted." -- BETH COOK, Unionville. "To me the dormitory is a wonderful place to meet people. The friends I've made in Blanton Hall will always be near my heart." -- JANYS ANN MURPHY, St. Charles. "I enjoy the fellowship of the house meetings and group activities in the dormitory."-- MARIAN PEOPLES, Leonard. "I think one learns better cooperation with others by being around girls like one's self." -- CHARLOTTE GUNSELMAN, Savannah. "I like to live in Blanton Hall because everything is so convenient." -- SHIRLEY YARDLEY, Meadville. "I like to live in Blanton Hall because it seems a lot like home." -- NONA LEONARD, Brookfield. "I like to live in Blanton Hall because of the ample room and study facilities." -- DONNA LONG, Shelbyville. The friendliness of the girls has made Blanton Hall seem truly like home." -- CAROLYN HUNTSMAN, Cairo. "I have met more girls and made more friends than if I lived elsewhere while in school." -- NORMA JEAN HALLEY, Elsberry. "The atmosphere creates good will and the rules help a girl acquire a knowledge of group living." -- LOLLIE WILSON, LaBelle. "The main reason that I like living in Blanton Hall is the companionship that is gained by living with so many girls." -- JUDY HASSALL, Webster Groves. "I like Blanton Hall because of its lovely modern furniture and the conveniences which it affords girls far from home." -- VIRGINIA BAKER, Summerville. "I'm afraid living in Blanton Hall has spoiled me for living in any other dorm or rooming house." -- CAROLYN CALDWELL, Quincy, Illinois. [photo caption] When Winter dots the landscape with snow and ice, it's warm and cozy in Blanton Hall (page 12)