Stage is set for Galvin Fine Arts history

by: Natalie knoblauch
Guest Writer

A full television studio in the basement, a 1,200 seat theater on the main floor, a radio station on the top floor, rehearsal rooms, computer labs, and more; all under one roof. Many students at SAU don’t realize all that the Galvin Fine Arts Center has to offer.

The building itself houses the departments of music, theater, art, and communicaton. Before the building was finished, the departments were scattered all over campus.

The music department was housed in an old building originally intended to instruct naval cadets during World War II.

KALA was on the second floor of Ambrose Hall and the theater department was located on the third floor.

The old auditorium was stationed in Lewis Hall, and the art department was located in the basement of, what was then, McMullen Library.

Construction started in the fall of 1968, finally opening its doors on May 15, 1971.

Communications professor Ken Colwell, an Ambrose student at the time, remembers what it was like moving into the new building.

"We moved into Galvin in the spring and summer of 1971. KALA was the first to move in, beginning equipment installation in February of ‘71. The TV studio was located where the intimate theatre is now, outside of Dr. Johnson’s office."

In May of 1974 the building was dedicated to Paul V. Galvin, founder of the Motorola Corporation. The building was named after Galvin’s widow, Virginia Piper-Galvin, who donated $350,000 to SAU as a gift for the new building.

When the layout of Galvin was constructed the planners didn’t anticipate the then college, would grow to the size of the university it is today.

"Galvin was supposed to be a multi-purpose building," Colwell said. "But I don’t think it’s ever functioned that way. Each area requires its own unique environment and so there is only limited ‘sharing’ between departments in the building."

A prime example of this ‘sharing’ that goes on between departments would be the Mac lab in room 139 shared by both art and communication students.

Galvin Fine Arts Center has a great untold history to it that not too many students of SAU know about. With some research, a lot more appreciation can be gained for the building.