Rebuilding: Whitley Auditorium

Transcript for newspaper excerpt to the left: Auditorium Building Now Formally Begun. Dr. J. O. Atkinson Lays First Brick of Whitley Memorial Building Tuesday. The first brick of the auditorium building was formally laid last Tuesday following the luncheon hour. Dr. J. O. Atkinson was present and laid the brick. The auditorium building is a gift to the college from J. M. Darden of Suffolk, Va., and is being erected in memory of the late L. H. Whitley. Mr. Whitley was Mr. Darden's father-in-law, and a stalwart Christian. He was a member of the Christian Church, and had for it a full measure of devotion. The brief service was opened with a few remarks from Dr. Harper explaining the gift and purpose of the building. His remarks were followed by a prayer by Dr. J. W. (Uncle) Wellons. Dr. J. O. Atkinson then laid the first brick of the new auditorium, prefacing this act with a few fitting words regard the man in whose memory the building will stand. The ceremony was closed by the benediction pronounced by Rev. N. G. Newman, the college pastor. 

Transcript for newspaper excerpt to the left: Prominent Suffolk Man Donates Fifty Thousand Dollars to Erect Large Auditorium Building Here. J. M. Darden Gives Auditorium Building-Will Be Dedicated to L. H. Whitley. PLAN IS PARTLY DRAWN. George F. Whitley, an Alumnus of College, Will Deliver Dedicatory Address. Mr. J. M. Darden, or Suffolk, Va., has just given $50,000 for the erection, of an auditorium building. The building is to be known as the Whitley Memorial Building according to the request of Mr. Darden. George F. Whitley, an alumnus of Elon College, and a prominent lawyer of Smithfield, Virginia, is to deliver the address of dedication of the building. The building is to be one magnificence, and a fitting memorial for Mr. Darden's father-in-law to whom it is to be dedicated. The auditorium building plans ae already drawn in part, and they will be largely followed. The building as planned at present will house the auditorium and the department of music which naturally falls in line with the auditorium building. The capacity of the building as planned will be 1,000 seats, and it will be erected in the most approved modern style of auditorium architecture. Mr. Darden, who has given $50,000 for the erection of the building, has long been a close friend of the college. He is a man of large means, and wished to use his wealth where it will be of service to the largest number and where (Continued on page four.)

Transcript for newspaper excerpt to the left: (Continued from page one) it will yield a large return in the really big things of life. The building will be dedicated to the memory of Mr. L. H. Whitley, the father-in-law of the donor, and will be known as the Whitley Memorial Building. The beautiful building as now planned will be a fitting memorial building. L. H. Whitley was a generous friend of the college and a building in his memory will be fitting on the Elon campus. It was also arranged by Mr. Darden to have George F. Whitley, an alumnus of the college and a prominent lawyer of Smithfield, Va., to deliver the address at the dedication of the building. Mr. Whitley is a brother-in-law of Mr. Darden, and a son of L. H. Whitley to whom the building is to be dedicated. All arrangements have been made by Mr. Darden. The Whitley Memorial Building will be made one of the most attractive buildings on the campus, and it will be planned so as to give the greatest possible amount of service, and at the same time to beautify the entire plant. Its capacity will be large, and all the equipments will look forward to a much larger college and student body than Elon has at present. All the buildings are being erected with this idea, and the college is facing its task of a larger service to the state and the church which it represents.