The 1960s marked a period of significant physical growth for Elizabethtown College. Not only did the College purchase more than 38 acres of land, but in 1965, the campus nearly doubled in size following a generous gift from Dr. Troy M. Thompson and his wife, Elsie S. Thompson. A long-time physician for the Athletic Department and the eventual namesake for Thompson Gym, Dr. Thompson deeded his 110-acre farm to Etown.<\/p>\n
Student enrollment grew as well, surpassing 1,000 students for the first time in 1963. Three residence halls were dedicated during the decade that still stand: Brinser, Schlosser, and Royer Halls. Student life took off after the dedication of the Baugher Student Center in 1962, with the new campus hub adjoining the Alumni Gymnasium and featuring three bowling lanes, a swimming pool, a large snack bar, a bookstore, and a post office. On the academic side, Esbenshade Hall was dedicated and Zug Memorial Library grew with the addition of two large wings.<\/p>\n
Students were not immune to the heightened political tension in America due to the Vietnam War, with Blue Jays holding \u201cProject Vietnam\u201d in 1967, an open forum with presentations from supporters and objectors of the war. Through the division across the nation, Etown students remained committed to the College\u2019s Educate for Service motto. A new campus service group dedicated to tutoring elementary and secondary school students sprung up with 60 members and in 1964, members of the Elizabethtown College Christian Association (ECCA) created programs for teenagers in the Harrisburg area.<\/p>\n
A Look Through the Decade\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 1960<\/strong> – The College inaugurates its first foreign exchange program, with student Sylvia Hixson attending the Jugenheim Institute in Germany.<\/p>\n 1961<\/strong> – Ober Hall is officially named in honor of Henry Kulp Ober, who served as president of the College from 1918-21 and 1924-28.<\/p>\n 1961<\/strong> – The Etown Field Hockey team goes undefeated, not allowing a single goal throughout the season.<\/p>\n 1962<\/strong> – Royer Hall is dedicated on Oct. 20. The space is named after B. Mary Royer, a 1921 graduate who served as a missionary to India.<\/p>\n 1962<\/strong> – The Baugher Student Center is dedicated on Nov. 18, named after former president A.C. Baugher.<\/p>\n 1965<\/strong> – Brinser Residence Hall is dedicated on Oct. 16. The building was made possible after a large donation from David E. \u201858 and Sadie M. Brinser.<\/p>\n 1966<\/strong> – Schlosser Residence is dedicated on Oct. 22. The building is named in honor of Ralph Wiest Schlosser, who dedicated 60 years of service to Etown as a student, professor, and president.<\/p>\n 1967<\/strong> – Esbenshade Hall is dedicated on May 13, named in honor of Elmer L. Esbenshade, a local philanthropist who donated money for the building in memorial to his wife, Frances E. Esbenshade.<\/p>\n 1967<\/strong> – The Board of Trustees votes to transform Alpha Hall, the first building constructed on campus, from a residence hall into an administration building on June 6.<\/p>\n 1968<\/strong> \u2013 The College breaks ground for Thompson Gymnasium on Sept. 17.<\/p>\n Snapshots of the Decade\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t
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