The Gymnasium Fire at Susquehanna University, 1934

 

On Wednesday January 3rd 1934, a fire destroyed the gymnasium at Susquehanna University.  Students fought the fire with a garden hose until the fire company arrived, and collegians dashed in the building to save what equipment they could grab.  50 years worth of athletic photos lining the walls were all lost in the blaze.  The Basketball teams brand new uniforms did not arrive until the morning of January 4th, and thus were spared from the blaze.

"Fire discovered soon after midnight this morning burned to a total loss Alumni gymnasium at Susquehanna University. The loss will approximate $50,000 in the opinion of Dr. G. Morris Smith, president of the institution, who estimates the replacement value of the 40x80 brick structure at $40,000 and the equipment at $10,000. The university carried 80 per cent fire insurance on the building and contents. 

The fire originated in the boiler room in the eastern end of the building, where a furnace fire is maintained to heat the water for the showers. The building is heated from the central plant. Paul Lubold, attendant in the building, reported that he banked that furnace fire at 8 o'clock last night, and in his visit of that hour found all well in the structure. 

Fire originating in that same section of the building in the fall of 1930 was checked before it reached serious proportions. However, this morning's blaze had spread far in that part of the structure before it was discovered. 

The alarm was turned in by Earl Feehrer, new chief of the Dauntless Hook and Ladder Company, who saw the flickering light from his home in South High street. About the same time students in Kassinger Hall telephoned for help. The collegians dashed into the locker room on the first floor and succeeded in saving only a small part of the stored goods until they were forced from the structure due to smoke and the intense heat. 

Meanwhile several hundred students had attached a garden hose to a water pipe and did their best to fight the fire. Had a large. stream been available in the building that time likely they would have succeeded in checking the blaze and the building would be standing there.

 Fortunately some members of the fire company were in their company structure when the alarm was sounded. In a trice they were speeding out Walnut street with both pumpers. One pumper was attached to the plug across the street from the gymnasium and  other to the plug near Selinsgrove.  The company was teamed quickly for the big job before them, and within 2 minutes after reaching the scene they were playing 4 streams of water upon the blaze.

 However, the fire licked its way so fast over the highly polished floor of the gymnasium that in a few moments the entire interior of the building was a seething mass of flames. Then the blaze ignited the frame running track mid-way between the floor and roof, and within 10 minutes from, the time the company arrived the fire had eaten its way thru the eastern end of the roof. 

Meanwhile, windows had been broken and hundreds of gallons of water turned into the structure. The front door of the building was kept closed to check the draft. 

Then it was realized the building was doomed, so the door was opened and increased efforts directed to saving the sports trophies and records in the office of Luther D. Grossman, athletic director. 

When one of the portals was swung ajar, a torrent of water swept off the floor, down the steps. But the Hookies were not to be denied. While one stream was driven in at the door, other firemen scaled ladders and played streams into the building from the upper windows. The fire ate its way gradually thru the slate roof from the eastern to 'the western end of the building, and when all the roof had been burned firemen crawled thru upper windows and made their dangerous way along the indoor, track.

 That valiant attack saved some of the trophies, records and equipment in. that end of the building.  The new uniforms for the basket ball team did not arrive until this morning. So the Susquehannans were able to be equipped for tonight's game with Penn State up there, which is likely to be the only fray of this year's schedule. Neither will be the local high school be able to carry out their compiled schedule."

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In 1881, when Susquehanna University was still the Missionary Institute, students were longing for a a place to exercise. Eventually, a subscription was begun among the students and 4 or 5 dollars was raised for some apparatus.  "Two good hickory bars of the necessary size were secured and one of them was placed on the campus at a larger tree in front of the gymnasium site.  This was the first attempt at a gymnasium."

Next a room in the basement of Selinsgrove Hall was given for use as a gymnasium.  The room was low, with a dirt floor, and a low ceiling.  A pit was dug in the floor, "in order for a bar to be used to any advantage in this room."  A pair of boxing gloves and a set of heavy iron dumbells were added to the equipment.

"Finally after repeated disappointments, the students on the night of September 25 1901, following the famous nightshirt parade, celebrated a mock corner laying with fitting services for the occasion."  

On May 1 1902, another subscription began, and $1,205 was pledged by the students alone, for the raising of a gymnasium.  Another nighshirt parade was held that evening.  Ground for the new building was broken in August of 1902.  "When completed [over a year later], the building was 42x90 feet and it's equipment was in accordance with the latest fittings of gymnastic authorities.  This served as the home of Susquehanna's Court Crusaders for 32 years."

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Susquehanna University Campus looking west.  

Baseball fields in front, gymnasium on the far right.

Selinsgrove Hall is in the center, and on the left is Gustavus Adolphus Hall, which burned down in 1964.  Seibert Hall is in the background

Sundial at Susquehanna University, dedicated to Dr Benjamin Kurtz, fist president, on the schools 50th Anniversary, November 24 1908.

Selinsgrove hall and the original gymnasium can be seen in the background.

Selinsgrove Hall, with the gymnasium visible in the background

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"girls gym class exhibition" 1916

Inside the Susquehanna Gymnasium

Not the elevated running track circling the gym

1933 Selinsgrove High School basketball team on the steps of the old gymnasium on the Susquehanna University campus.

Selinsgrove, in 1910, was the first school in Snyder County to introduce basketball. Home games were played in Susquehanna University's gymnasium, while the team practiced in a vacant classroom in the Pine Street School. 

he 1912 Selinsgrove High School basketball team, shown above,  finished their season with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses. 

Coached by C. Fiske Brill, the team included Edward Phillips (captain), Sam Bulick, Calvin Witmer, Paul Houseworth, Waldo Luck, Brewster Schoch, and Good.

Susquehanna University's 1907 football team on the steps of the campus gymnasium.. Coached by I.W. Williams, the team won two of their eight games. Among the losses was a 91-0 defeat on the road, against the Carlisle Indians, led by star athlete Jim Thorpe, and coached by Pop Warner.

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