With the interior of Webster Hall gutted in preparation for the relocated and renamed Rauner Special Collections Library, the College's last medium-sized programming venue is a relic of Dartmouth's past.
Concerts, performances and other activities formerly offered in the versatile and popular performance area may be impossible to offer at Dartmouth in the near future.
Before renovations, Webster was Dartmouth's only flexible programming space smaller than Leede Arena but larger than Collis Common Ground.
All of the events that would otherwise have been held in Webster simply will not take place in the future, Director of Student Activities Linda Kennedy said.
There is no solution to the problem for the near future, Kennedy added.
When plans to change Webster Hall into the home for Special Collections were announced in Winter 1995, students were opposed to losing the performance venue.
Dean of Student Life Holly Sateia said students involved in programming are always seeking additional programming space and Webster's renovation comes at a bad time.
Sateia said the renovation of Collis Common Ground a few years ago was in part a response to the impending loss of Webster, but its enlargement was not nearly enough.
Although the Common Ground can now hold up to 300 people standing, it does not work as a replacement for Webster, which held 850 people, she said.
Good for books, better for concerts
Certain performers, including Natalie Merchant, have commented about the utility of Webster Hall.
"I heard that this was going to be glassed in and become a library," Merchant said in an concert right after the announcement was made. "It's a good place for books ... but it's a good place for a concert too."
Kennedy said Spaulding Auditorium, although it has a similar number of seats as Webster, is "completely unavailable to student programming."
Kennedy said hip-hop concerts often used Webster Hall. Since these concerts do not attract a large enough audience to be held in Leede Arena, they may no longer take place, she said.
Another example of programming that will suffer as a result of the renovations is the Collis Miniversity program, Kennedy said. She said in the future there will probably be less dance classes, since many of them used Webster Hall.
Kennedy said "students haven't felt the effect yet" of Webster's loss, but they will as soon as events do not take place.
"I do see it as a big problem," she said. "It was a wonderful, very low-tech, simple to use space."
Sateia said the issue of available programming space on campus has always been contentious. She said the loss of Webster will adversely affect students, faculty and the administration.
Dean of the College Lee Pelton said "space is always a precious commodity at Dartmouth."
Pelton said Webster's versatility made it "user-friendly" for the entire Dartmouth community.
Pelton said the Facilities Working Group is an ongoing committee designed to deal with questions similar to that of a replacement for Webster Hall.
He said the group, headed by Director of Facilities Planning Gordon DeWitt, makes recommendations but not decisions.
"They have not come up with anything yet," Pelton said, although he said the committee has had some leads that did not work out.
Hard hat area
The Webster Hall renovation project, which is scheduled for completion in the late fall of 1998, is proceeding as scheduled, Assistant Director of Facilities Planning Jack Wilson said.
He said Webster's interior has been gutted, and the floor has been removed. Only one original staircase and some decorative plaster has been retained, he said.
Wilson said the workers are currently reinforcing the existing foundation and installing a new floor.
The next step in the construction will involve installing underground storage for special collections between Webster and Baker Library, he said.
This work will use heavy equipment until late September or October, Wilson said.
"Through the summer and fall months, there will be constant activity associated with the sites," he said. "In winter hopefully we'll work on the interior," he said.
