Something about Henry Crawford

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the death of Henry Crawford, the longtime coach and administrator at Sam Houston State. Crawford attended Austin College in Sherman and made his way to Huntsville where he became part of the SHSTC Athletics Department, eventually rising to the position of football coach. Along the way he acquired the nickname “Molly,” as evidenced in the scholarships and residence hall that honor him, and pretty much every other time we see his name in print (as H.O. "Molly" Crawford).

The question begs: why Molly? Was it a family name? Was it early-19th century football slang (“he sure mollied that ball....”)? Was it an off-the-cuff epithet from a peer that stuck? Was it something mundane that really doesn’t matter all these years later?

We've asked around about it ourselves but the people we've questioned either 1) don't know themselves or 2) don't...uh... share our level of enthusiasm in the subject (yeah, that's it...).

Crawford is buried in Huntsville’s Oakwood Cemetery.

Construction Updates

Thursday's Houstonian [November 1, 2008] notes the impending completion of the expanded Mall area, on the former Frels-Wilson buildings.

Also, the SHSU Physical Plant page has been updated (though you wouldn't get that from the top of the page where it still says "April 2008") to include current (or mildly recent) photographs of construction at Academic Building V ("Substantial Completion Date: September 2008") and the Mall area ("Substantial Completion Date: October 2007").

In addition, a design of the forthcoming Performing Arts Center is pictured ("Substantial Completion Date: December 2009"), as are plans for the new Agriculture Complex at Gibbs ranch and north dining facility ("Substantial Completion Date: December 2008"). Finally, one can view a few pictures of the Colony Apartments in an early stage of demolition.

Also, the contents of the Telephone Services building (that unsightly holdover from the Frels-Wilson demolition) appear to be on the move to Academic Building One...? (I thought it was AB5?)

Regents Approve New Building, Academic Changes

Design documents for a new $30 million home for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences were approved Friday by Sam Houston State University's governing body.

The Texas State University System Board of Regents took the action during a meeting held in Austin. Construction [on Academic Building Five] is expected to begin this spring with an estimated completion date of fall 2008.

The 150,000 square foot building will also house additional faculty offices as well as other academic and administrative functions, including Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Business Office and Human Resources. It will be located in the area south of the Smith-Hutson Business Building and east of the Lee Drain Building.

The regents also approved a total project cost not to exceed $1.825 million for mechanical renovations to the Belvin-Buchanan dorm, which was built in 1936. After plans were prepared for the project and a cost initially approved, it was discovered that additional work of up to $250,000 in cost was needed. That project is expected to be completed this summer.

MIA: Charles Gidley

Once upon a time there was a residential complex on the Sam Houston State University campus that was named for a man named Charles Gidley.

Time passed.

That's about all there is to it, aside from the fact the structure was torn down a few years ago. Of all the people who have had buildings named in their honor, Gidley stands out like a sore thumb. Our research a decade ago turned up nothing of any merit and now, SHSU archivist Barbara Kievit-Mason is putting forth an effort to finally identify this mysterious individual.

"I can find no record of him here in the archives and all the folks I have talked to know nothing of him. I have listened to various theories that he was a librarian, music professor, etc., but none of these have panned out," she says in Today@Sam. Mason tells us she has exhausted all the usual sources - cemetery listings and census records – and interviewed numerous people and surfed the Internet, all to discover who Gidley was and his association with the university.

Anyone with information may contact Kievit-Mason at 936-294-3699, or by e-mail at lib_bak@shsu.edu.

We're Gonna Pay a Call on the Adams Family

Remember how Adams House was converted from housing to offices? Wondered who's living there now? The Office of Research and Special Programs will open the doors of its new location in the Roy Adams House to faculty, staff and students on Tuesday, September 19.

Wowee Zowee – there goes the pavement

Construction projects – some confirmed and others in the planning stages – will eliminate a number of prominent parking spaces over the next school year, as explained in this Houstonian article:

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Two parking lots short
by Rachael Gleason
The Houstonian
August 24, 2006

The faculty parking lot in between the Frels-Wilson complex will be removed along with the buildings to allow for the expansion of the new student mall area. According to [Director of Public Relations, Frank] Krystyniak, this parking lot will be the first to be replaced and will be unavailable by the end of November.

The lot north of the Vick House is to be replaced by Academic Building V...the schedule for construction has not been started yet, but Krystyniak said the lot will not be available for use in late spring.

Another parking lot may be lost due to a new Performing Arts Center... if the building is approved, Krystyniak said that construction would probably start in the fall of 2007 and a parking lot will be lost to the project.

Even though the university may lose the lots this year, Physical Plant Director John McCrosky said that more parking lot locations are discussed when buildings replace them. "We try to plan for things," said McCrosky, "We always try to come up with space for additional parking lots."

Update: Smith-Kirkley

There finally appears to an answer in regard to the future of the Smith-Kirkley dormitory. Having been noticeably absent from the Residence Life website for many months, and unavailable for occupancy during the 2006-07 school year, it was anyone's guess what was going on. Everything seemed to indicate the end of the 40-year old building in the heart of campus.

Scratch that – there finally appears to an answer in regard to the Kirkley half, at least. According to the Walker County Alliance, Kirkley is undergoing internal renovations to become the home of various offices, for at least one dean and SHSU Phon-a-Thon. As was noted in March, Raven Village is opening this fall with 400 available beds; in the event there is any sort of overflow, Smith Hall can be reopened to accommodate 200 beds.

VP Says SHSU Not Anticipating Fall Housing Problem

Vice President for Enrollment Management Heather Thielemann is quoted in an Today@SAM article that during the fall 2006 semester, “the temporary closing of Belvin-Buchanan will account for the loss of 209 beds and the closing of Smith-Kirkley Hall will account for the loss of 500 beds; however, Raven Village’s opening will give the university 400 beds, and 200 beds in Smith Hall will be used in the event of an overflow of students wanting to live on campus.”

I guess I’m still at a loss at the fate of Smith-Kirkley. The university has already been given the okay to bring it to the ground yet it appears it will still be standing tall this autumn. Are they being intentionally vague about its fate?

Raven Village

South on Avenue I is the newest construction zone: Raven Village. This is the third "village" to appear on campus, following the success of Bearkat and Sam Houston Villages. It replaces four small houses and family housing. On that note, one wonders if the families in Gintz were successful in finding housing elsewhere?

Raven Village looks impressive at this stage, which is good since it's supposed to be ready for residents this August. They'll make it.

I wonder what village comes next...and where?

Seven Small Houses

I've never liked the offset intersection at Twentieth Street and Avenue I. The Master Plan encourages the straightening of the road and I hope it’s soon.

Of course, to do such a thing means you're bound to loose some of the small houses. I never lived in one but I'd hate to see them all leveled. Vick, Adams and Allen Houses would seem to be the first demolished for such a road project. Adams House is currently undergoing internal remodeling to house campus offices – again. I peaked in the front door and you could definitely tell something was going on, what with all the cans of paint and tarps visible in the lobby.

President's Update

A few odds and ends from SHSU President Jim Gaertner:

The regents have already given us the approval to remove the Frels and Wilson complex, which is being used for offices, and the Smith-Kirkley residence hall. When we decide to do so, it will be the first step in a series of moves that will give us additional office and classroom space.

The Frels-Wilson removal will allow us to expand and consolidate the present mall/commons area, which will greatly add to the beauty of our already-magnificent campus.

A key element in that series of steps will be construction of an estimated $30 million Academic Building V. It is currently planned for the area south of the Smith-Hutson addition and east of the Lee Drain Building.

While the timelines for these projects have not been set, we hope to have sufficient planning completed to present the ABV project for board approval at their May board meeting, and to proceed with first approval for a new dining facility in August or November.

In our somewhat more distant facility plans are projects that will be of great benefit to our academic capability.

We are continuing to work toward a new performing arts building to provide space and facilities for music, theater, and dance. These programs have been attracting national attention and credit, and as a result are of interest to a growing number of area, state, and national students.

This facility will include classrooms, practice rooms, and recital and concert halls. The discussions of what we would like in such a facility, and what we can realistically afford, are continuing.

Another project that we are planning will be an expansion of the Criminal Justice Center, which was built by inmate labor some 30 years ago at a bargain price to the state and nation, but which is now operating at full capacity.

The Criminal Justice program has brought more national and international attention to Sam Houston State University in its relatively short period of existence than any other on our campus. We are committed to maintaining its reputation for service and preeminence in its field, and having a quality facility is a key to that goal.

Houstonian: New residence hall to open doors next fall

A new parking garage will be built on campus, but it will be underground of the new residence hall called Sam Houston Village.

Located on the northwest end of campus across from Jackson-Shaver, Sam Houston Village will be the newest addition to apartment housing on campus. This new facility is set to open Fall of 2004 and will accommodate 546 freshmen only.

New services will be available for this new apartment housing. The garage built directly below the facility will be reserved only for the students living in the residence hall.