Ruffner
Hall
Farmville,
Virginia
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Ruffner
Hall, also known as the Rotunda, is the flagship building on the
Longwood campus. Originally constructed in 1905, the hall doubled
as central academic facility and dormitory. Ruffner Hall was destroyed
by fire on April 24, 2001. Reconstruction should be complete by
the Fall of 2004 and dedication is scheduled to take place January
2005.
All
of the historic sculpture, paintings and other memorabilia was
removed before the fire due to major renovation that was already
underway. The historic items will be returned to their rightful
place, including the statue in the Rotunda depicting Joan of Arc,
the institution’s patron saint. The Portraits from the Rotunda
dome feature Dr. William Henry Ruffner, the building’s namesake
and the institution’s first president after it became state
supported in 1884; Dr. J. L. M. Curry, who was largely responsible
for Longwood becoming a state college; President Thomas Jefferson;
and Horace Mann, a proponent of universal education.
The
institution was originally known as the State Female Normal School,
a seminary for young women. Four sororities belonging to the National
Panhellenic Conference originated at the school: Kappa Delta (1897),
Sigma Sigma Sigma (1898), Zeta Tau Alpha (1898), and Alpha Sigma
Alpha (1901). Longwood College became Longwood University on July
1, 2002.
Drawing © 1999 Bill Harrah.
LONGWOOD
UNIVERSITY (Click on an image to see the actual
notecard size)
