History of the Center for Writing Excellence
Koch Jr., R.T., & Crum, K. (Summer 2009). Back to the Center, History in the making: The University of North Alabama Center for Writing Excellence. Southern Discourse, 12(3). 8-9, 13.
by Katie Crum and Robert Koch Jr.
On November 8, 1939, Florence State Teachers College, (today the University of North Alabama) announced the completion of a new student lodge. Built by the National Youth Administration (NYA), an organization created by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the lodge was meant to be a place where students could hang out and socialize (Flor-Ala, 1939). When the other buildings on campus had closed, the students could go to the lodge, which during its early years was furnished with couches, tables, and even a kitchen (Flor-Ala, 1939). Although it began as a student hangout, students over the years remember it being used for many different purposes.
Peggy Bowling, who attended Florence State Teachers College in 1954, said “When I was on campus, the Wesley Foundation was meeting in the Lodge on Wednesday nights” (personal communication, October 6, 2008). The Stone Lodge was also being used as a band hall at that time up until 1969, when a new fine arts building was built to house the growing band. Another student who graduated later in 1973, Frances Murphy, stated that she remembers “using the Stone Lodge as an audiovisual classroom” (personal communication, October 14, 2008). Tommy Hill remembers the Stone Lodge in a very different way. He said “The building in 1971 until possibly 1973 was an extension of the greenhouse and it was also used as a place for advanced primate study” (personal communication, October 22, 2008). A 1980 graduate from UNA, David Drissel, said “The Student Government Association (SGA) used to meet in the Stone Lodge. I was a Senator from 1978-79. I remember as an editor lambasting the SGA for holding ‘Religious Emphasis Week’ for the purpose of spreading Christianity. I wrote a scathing editorial piece criticizing the project as unconstitutional.” In 1996 the college tried bringing the lodge back to its original roots by turning it back into a student hangout. It sponsored many activities for students and stayed open much longer than any other building on campus. According to Skipworth (1996), “The Student Government Association and the university administration named it “Leo’s” in honor of Leo the lion, the school’s mascot.” Today the Stone Lodge is the home of the Center for Writing Excellence, an office that is dedicated to helping students improve their writing and language skills.
The Center for Writing Excellence began as a volunteer writing center effort in Spring, 2004. English faculty members Dr. Larry Adams, Dr. Nancy Atkinson, Prof. Cynthia Burkhead, Prof. Diane Dodson, Prof. Anita Garner, Dr. Eleanor Gaunder, Dr. Jean Johnson, Dr. Anna Lott, Dr. Jim Riser, and Dr. Ron Smith served at least one office hour per week in the center. In subsequent semesters, other volunteers included Prof. Pamela Kingsbury and Mr. Peter Olsen. Dr. Nicholas Mauriello trained the first peer tutors during the 2006-2007 academic year. From the outset, however, the larger vision was to create a sustainable, full-time program that would serve the entire university community.
In 2007, the English Department received approval and funding to hire a director for the writing center who would develop it as a university-wide resource for students and faculty. The director they hired, Dr. Robert T. Koch Jr., adopted and expanded the department’s vision. With additional support from Dr. Vagn Hansen, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Priscilla Holland, Assistant Vice-President for Research, and Dr. Garry Warren, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, the University Writing Center became the Center for Writing Excellence. It expanded its programming to serve not only students, but faculty and the community as well.
The Stone Lodge has been a catch-all over the years, housing all sorts of activities and organizations. In a way, the Stone Lodge reflects all of the diversity and many different interests of UNA students. Whatever the Stone Lodge has been used for, the lodge seems to have given its students fond memories of the place. The future of the Stone Lodge depends upon the participation of the students and administration. Hopefully, UNA’s students will continue to have fond memories of the Stone Lodge and the activities and organizations that it houses.
Modernistic furniture arrives, new royal chrome equipment completes lodge, ready for use. (November 8, 1939). Flor-Ala, p.1.
Skipworth, Jay B. (Summer 1996). Leo’s provides students with place to go. Flor-Ala, p.11.
