When visitors to campus were shown our Gym in the Daisy
Williams Gymnasium, the response would be silence, or occasionally a remark
like, “how quaint.” Missy Ackerman ’87, who did some research
several years ago on athletics facilities in NCAA member institutions
nationwide, discovered that ours was the oldest functioning gymnasium in the
entire country. While a distinction of
this nature may please historians and antiques aficionados, it has only helped
to set us back in the competitive worlds of athletics and even student
life. Since the 1980’s our Physical
Education and Athletics faculty and staff have been working diligently to raise
awareness of the urgent need to upgrade our fitness and athletic
facilities. Numerous studies have been
carried out and proposals presented to the Administration, and for a long time
it seemed that the College was not ready to embrace this project as a priority.
