http://www.pjstar.com/stories/041908/REG_BGCRB060.033.php

ISU dorms honored at ceremony

Historic Dunn-Barton and Walker halls will be demolished this summer

4/19/2008

Peoria Journal Star

Steve Stein

NORMAL - The Dunn-Barton Residence Halls were built in 1951. Walker Residence Hall was built in 1955.

Together, they've been home to nearly 50,000 Illinois State University students during a combined 110 years of service.

"And that doesn't count the thousands who have been snuck in and out of these buildings through the years, but I don't want to go there," said Steve Adams, ISU vice president of student affairs.

Humor like that - and poignant comments - dominated a "decommissioning" ceremony Friday for the venerable but aging red brick buildings, three of the oldest residence halls on campus.

The ceremony took place next to a sand volleyball court in the mini-quad between Dunn-Barton and Walker, which are not air-conditioned and have an underground passage between them.

The residence halls will be demolished this summer to make way for the $43.9 million Student Fitness and Kinesiology and Recreation Center, which will become the largest building on campus.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, who lived in Walker from 1974 to 1976, told stories about the good-natured pranks pulled during his days there and proudly pointed out that ISU's first "streaker" was a Walker resident.

"More importantly, so many friendships were made in these buildings, which is the real testament to the bricks and mortar," Rutherford said.