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East Hall
In the years before East Hall was constructed the women students at the then Oak Hills Christian Training School had squeezed into crowded quarters on the second floor of the classroom building. All living space on campus was in use. In chapel on March 5, 1952, school president Donald Wagner challenged the students and faculty to pray about the need for a new dormitory. Shortly thereafter the mailbag contained a check for $500 earmarked for the project. Encouraged by this gift the Fellowship directors called a meeting to plan construction of a women's dormitory as the Lord provided the funds. Architect Emil Halden of Minneapolis had drawn blueprints for the campus classroom building; now the directors asked him to design the new dormitory. Halden again donated his services. The men used the gift of $500 to purchase lumber and cement. But by the time they completed the basement excavation and poured the footings, all the money was gone. When the directors asked how much money was needed to continue, Oak Hills treasurer Robert Page said, "We need 5,000 blocks for the foundation. At 20 cents each that adds up to $1,000." A few days later a bulky package arrived in the mail. When opened, it revealed $1,000 in paper money -- just exactly the amount needed to purchase the 5,000 concrete blocks! The package had been sent uninsured, with no return address, and with the postmark blurred so that only the state from which it came could be determined. "We never did find out who sent it," said one of the directors, "but we used the money to pay for enough blocks to continue construction." By late summer of 1953 all building funds again were spent. But the dormitory required a hot water heating system to make is usable for the coming year. The two young sons of Oak Hills missionaries Thomas and Mary Cairns wanted to do something to help raise money for the heating system. Tommy and Larry had an idea -- why not dig worms and sell them to the camp visitors who wanted to fish? The Cairns boys along with two young friends built "The Wormery" and opened for business. Visiting friends and staff were glad to patronize the ambitious young businessmen, and their total earnings of $3.50 became the first gift toward the purchase of a heating system for the women's dormitory. This offering multiplied. It was not long before the Fellowship received enough gifts to enable Robert Page to order the necessary materials. By early winter the heating plant warmed the building. A special gift given in memory of Mrs. Jayne Wandell by her daughter and son-in-law, Flossie and William Johnstone, provided for the main finishing work and furnishings for the dormitory. Large and small donations made possible the completion of this east dormitory during the following year. It was built for approximately $22,500 and had capacity for 24 students. When the girls moved into their new "East Hall" on December 5, 1953, it was a day of rejoicing. But within a few years students needed more dormitory space. During 1961-1962 the Fellowship built an addition to the dormitory. |
