This incomplete collection documents Central Michigan University (CMU) Calkins Hall students, activities and dormitory leadership and life, 1958-2000. The bulk of the collection is scrapbooks and photographs. There are five scrapbooks, 1958-1969, 1984-1989, and 1991-1992. Loose color photographs are likely all from about 2000, although most are undated. Photographs document many students, and a variety of dormitory and Hall Council activities and events. There are two folders of papers related to hall governance including the Calkins Constitution, 1989, Calkins Hall Council Executive Board members, position descriptions, 1 set of E-Board Minutes, and one Hall Council Agenda, all from 1991. Also included are one set of minutes each for CMU Hall Councils of Barnard, Larzelere and Tate, all from April 1992. The earliest two scrapbooks are in oversized folders to protect their loose or detached top covers. Scrapbook 1958-1966 includes Calkins Hall building dedication materials including photographs, invitations, and signatures of attending guests.
Processing Note: Less than .25 cubic foot of duplicates, near duplicates, and poor-quality photographs were withdrawn during processing. Scrapbook pages 1984-1885 and 1988-1989 were removed from binders and foldered.
Organizational History:
Calkins Hall was the third residence hall built in what became the northwest quadrangle of Central Michigan University (CMU)’s campus. The interior of Calkins was a copy of Tate Hall from the previous year, and featured a suite-style layout. Calkins shared a dining hall with Robinson, Larzelere,, and Trout halls.
The $142 million building was designed by Roger Allen of Grand Rapids, who designed many campus dormitories during CMU’s increased growth in the 1950s and 1960s. Calkins’ cornerstone, like many in this era documents international news of the day with a copy of the United Nations charter and several articles on the crisis in the Middle East over Israel’s Suez Canal.
Calkins opened for occupancy in September 1958 and was officially dedicated on May 18, 1959. It housed women in 1958, men from 1959 to 1960, and women after that. Initially Trout and Calkins were joined without any partitions.
In 1967 Calkins won the award for best Homecoming float by a women’s residence hall. The float had cartoon characters Chip and Dale roasting over a mock bon fire with the slogan “Fire Up Chips!”, the first known time it was use. The slogan became CMU’s rallying cry.
The hall was named in honor of R. D. Calkins, head of the Department of Geography, 1922-1944. For more information about Calkins Hall or Professor Calkins see the Clarke’s page on existing campus buildings.
In March 2022 CMU decided to close the North campus residence halls of Robinson, Larzelere, Trout and Calkins beginning in Fall 2022 to focus on using newer residence halls (Morning Sun March 20, 2022). This move was prompted by decreasing enrollment before and during COVID-19 and the age of the buildings. (CMLife 3/17/2022). Plans to raze these older North campus residence halls was part of the 2022 campus plan. Razing had not yet occurred by October 2023 when this finding aid was created.
