Many of the buildings on the University of Maine at Farmington campus are named in honor of faculty members or school leaders who have made significant contributions to the college during its long history.
Dakin Hall was constructed in 1969 and named in honor of Stella G. Dakin. She graduated from Farmington State Normal School (FSNS) in 1923 and taught education and mental hygiene courses from 1929 - 1945. She was also instrumental in establishing the first campus newspaper. After a stint in the American Junior Red Cross from 1945 – 1949, she returned to the school to teach and serve as Dean of Women until her death in 1950.
Dearborn Gym construction began in 1962 and the building opened in 1964. Alumni Gym, constructed in the 1934, was no longer sufficient to serve the needs of the growing campus and its basketball program. The new building provided modern facilities for sports teams and physical education classes and was named in honor of Errol Dearborn. He played basketball and baseball as a student and was the sole male graduate of the FSNS class of 1918. From 1923 - 1945, he taught mathematics and helped coach the men’s basketball and baseball teams, sometimes also playing when an extra person was needed to field a team. Dearborn became the first president of Farmington State Teachers College in 1945 and retired in 1953.
Mabel Hastie Lounge is located in Ricker Hall and dedicated to Mabel A. Hastie. Miss Hastie served as the Director of the Home Economics program from 1948 – 1965. The collection of glassware on display belonged to the Home Economics program.
Kalikow Education Center, completed in 2007, was the second LEED-certified building on campus (Francis Allen Black residence hall was the first). The curriculum library located off the building’s main lobby was originally called Kalikow Curriculum Materials Center. However in 2016, the center was renamed in honor of Loraine Spenciner. A dedicated professor of Special Education, Spenciner oversaw the development of and obtained numerous grants for its assistive technology collection. The education building was then dedicated to Theodora (Theo) J. Kalikow, who served president of UMF from 1994 - 2012. A strong advocate for student-centered learning, Theo was respected as a leader both on campus and in the education field. During her tenure, UMF was recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges by U.S. News & World Report for 15 consecutive years and the university added new majors, interdisciplinary programs and master’s degree programs in education. Theo was inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame in 2002 and received national recognition for her excellence in leadership and public service in 2006. She retired from UMF in 2012.
Lincoln Auditorium, located in the Roberts Learning Center, was dedicated to long-time faculty member Lillian Lincoln. Lillian graduated from FSNS in 1885 and completed the Advanced Course in 1890. She began teaching geometry, geography, drawing and Latin and later taught psychology and education. She was on the faculty for 37 years, including 28 years as head of the Model School, and retired in 1924. An advocate of experiential learning, she encouraged her Normal School students to teach beyond the traditional textbook and connect lessons in the classroom with the outside world. In addition to writing two books on pedagogy, she wrote the words to the first FSNS school song and arranged or wrote many of the school’s musical performances and dramatic presentations.
Lockwood Hall was named in honor of Helen Lockwood, who served as the Home Economics program director from 1924 - 1948. Lockwood led the transformation of the program from a 2 year to 4 year degree and implemented other significant changes required under new federal standards for home economic education. One major addition to the program's curriculum was a practical experience caring for an infant (fondly referred to as the "Cottage Babies") beginning in 1927. The residence hall was built 1968.
Mallett Hall was the second dormitory built for Farmington State Normal School. It opened in 1924 and was original called South Hall because it was located on the south side of Purington Hall. It was renamed in honor of Wilbert G. Mallett, the school’s fifth principal, at the time of his retirement in 1940. Mallett taught science and served as first assistant to the principal from 1891 – 1909, then became principal after the unexpected death of George Purington. He also taught pedagogy, psychology and civics for several years, which had been part of the principal’s duties under Purington. Affectionately nicknamed "Pa Mallett" by the Normal School students, he strongly believed in the value of a broad education, good morals and a healthy lifestyle. During his tenure, Mallett encouraged students to be active outdoors to stay healthy and promoted the importance of civic responsibility and engagement.
Mantor Library was originally constructed as a library and education classroom building. The Edith Clifford library, originally created in Merrill Hall in 1932, had outgrown its limited space. The new building provided more study area for students and additional shelving for the growing collection of books. Although the building was completed in 1956, it was not formally dedicated until June 5, 1965, when it was named in honor of Agnes P. Mantor. A graduate of the FSNS class of 1915, Mantor began teaching history and social sciences at the Normal School in 1918. She took a leave of absence from 1935-37 to serve as head of Women’s Projects for the Maine division of the Works Progress Administration. Mantor also served in many leadership roles in state and education organizations in Maine during her lifetime. After she returned to teaching in 1939, she became the Dean of Women and served as the college librarian from 1951 until her retirement in 1965.
Merrill Hall was the first home of the Farmington State Normal School. Located on the corner of Main and Academy Streets, the building was originally the town school known as Farmington Academy. The Academy struggled financially for years and its board decided to close and sell the building to the state for the new Normal School. Because renovations to the building were not ready when the Normal School opened in 1864, the first classes were held downtown in Beal Hall. The building was called Normal Hall until the late 1890s, when it was replaced with a new structure constructed in 1898. The new building was named in honor of the Merrill family for their services to the school. I. Warren Merrill was a staunched supporter of the Normal School and his daughters, Hortense and Ella, both graduated from and taught at the school. Merrill Hall has served as the school's main administration offices throughout its history. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Olsen Student Center was built in 1966 to provide a larger central dining hall to accommodate the growing number of students. It also added new space for student activities and offices for some essential student services. The building was named after Einar A. Olsen, the college president from 1968 – 1981. Olsen oversaw a period of dramatic growth of the physical campus, including construction of Lockwood and Dakin dormitories and the new Learning Center, the addition of new degrees in liberal arts subjects and the renaming of the school to University of Maine at Farmington in 1971. Olsen retired in 1981.
Preble Hall was built in 1962 and was named in honor of Charles Preble, who taught biological science and geography at Farmington State Normal School from 1921 – 1949. In 1921, when botany became part of the Normal School’s curriculum, Preble began giving regular nature walks (often at six in the morning). He was a great supporter of the Natural Science Society, a campus organization established in 1934 to promoted nature studies beyond the classroom. Students were encouraged to pursue hobbies such as nature photography, stargazing and other outdoor activities to learn more about science. Preble also participated in the school’s baseball team and, along with fellow faculty member Errol Dearborn, played in games when extra players were needed to field a team.
Purington Hall was the first dormitory built to house Normal School students. Completed in 1914, it was named after George C. Purington, the fourth president of the Normal School (1883 – 1909). In addition to leading the school, Purington taught civics, didactics, government, psychology and music and oversaw much-needed repairs and improvements to Merrill Hall. He was also very active in the local community and a driving force behind the creation of the Farmington Public Library. Purington encouraged FSNS students to enrich their lives beyond the classroom by participating in school social activities, such as the Glee Club and basketball teams for men and women.
Ricker Hall, completed in 1962, is one half of the building constructed to house the university's Home Economics program and science department (Preble Hall). The Ricker wing was planned by Mabel Hastie, head of the Home Ec program at that time. The hall was named after Marion C. Ricker, who served as the school’s first director of Home Economics from 1911 - 1918 and as Maine's state supervisor of home economics education.
Roberts Learning Center was completed in 1970. In 1989, the building was named in honor of Gwilym Roberts, a graduate of the class of 1937, who taught history, politics and economics at the college from 1940 – 1983. He also coached men’s basketball for a several years in the 1940s and served in various administrative positions, including chairman of the history department and as the college's first dean of instruction. After his retirement from UMF, he founded the UMF Alumni Travel Program and led summer trips to Europe, Russia and China. Roberts was also named as one of the first members of the UMF Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.
Scott Hall was originally build in 1960 with the second wing completed in 1967. The building was named after Ermo H. Scott, who served as president of Farmington State Teachers College from 1953 – 1966. The dormitory was one of a number of new construction projects under Scott’s administration, which also included a science and home economics building (Preble/Ricker), a library/classroom building (Mantor Library), and a new gymnasium (Dearborn).
Stone Hall was built in 1962. The residence hall was named after Carolyn A. Stone. She graduated from FSNS in 1898 and began teaching physiology, biology, arithmetic and physical culture at the school in 1901. Her time outside the classroom was often spent supporting student activities that promoted wellness. She coached women’s intramural basketball teams, sponsored the first Campfire Girls group at the school, and served as the school nurse until a professional nurse was hired in 1928. She also served as Dean of Women from 1924 until her retirement in 1939.
Thomas Auditorium, located in Preble Hall, was named after long-time science faculty member Arthur M. Thomas. He served as assistant principal and taught chemistry, physics, zoology and agriculture at Farmington State Normal School from 1909-1929.
Sources: First Quarter-Century, 1864-1889. State Normal School Farmington, Maine, George C. Purington © 1889; University of Maine at Farmington: A Study in Educational Change (1864-1974), Richard P. Mallett, © 1974; University of Maine at Farmington Pilot Plan for Continuing Development, 1971 - , Alonzo J. Harriman Associates, 1970.
