on. Ai ‘irPh pore il | My) ij | et sues HT 5 HELL) eh TT | | H AC ALTLIAAALL Onlookers witness razing of Moench building. ACCNCLATOM Cover: CONTENTS: Moench Building The Alumni Second-class postage paid at Ogden Published quarterly at Weber Sere Cicae ahek editorial offices in the Student Union Building Ogden, Utah 84403. Vol. 8 No. 1, Winter 1971 Basketball........ Michael C. Macfarlane ‘62 - editor The Alumni News is mailed, at no charge to alumni of Weber State College. ; Homecoming ....... THE NGWS: 5 hc tetncercoems eS ee, Alumnus : Associated Alumni © SS ————— of Weber State College Remember When . — American Alumni Council OFFICERS Roy C. Nelson, President Wilford G. Fowers, First Vice President Paul W. Bott, Second Vice President BOARD OF DIRECTORS M. LeRoy Mecham, Immediate Raelene Sommers Brian Ronald T. Halverson William H. Hudson Norma Litchfield Willie D. Lyle Wynn L. Kent Bachman Elaine Creer Bird Dr. Russell W. Carruth Michael Murdock Dr. Richard E. Nilsson Marian Hyde Storey Lowell W. Thorstensen Michael C. Macfarlane, Executive Past CALENDAR President May 7 May 3-7 June 2 Director Dr. James R. Foulger, Alumni Treasurer Dr. William P. ; Miller, , W.S.C. W.S.C. Presisident Wayne Hill, Senior Class President June July 5 COMES DOWN ....... = Member MOENCH OF EVENTS Founders Day Alumni Art Exhibit Emeritus Banquet Commencemett Hawai k and symbol In October of 1970 a Weber State landmar a heap of dusty for 79 years groaned and collapsed into at 24th and rubble. The historic old Moench Building Ogden, having outlived its Jefferson in downtown or fanfare. y ceremon usefulness was torn down without rather than The Moench, so named by common usage and was the first official edict, was constructed in 1891 permanent home of Weber College. for the Moench Mr. Samuel T. Whitaker was the architect June of 1890. Building, having submitted his final plans in ed a bid of submitt John M. Taylor was low bidder, having began almost ction Constru ction. $22,500 for constru roof was on. It immediately and by December of 1890 the a building, seems almost unheard of these days to design same year. the in all ction constru let the bid and begin November of The first class moved into the building in 1891. was found Soon after the opening of the new building it Jones was necessary to hire new teachers. William H. $100 per retained as first assistant to the principal at d to employe was Burton month, Mrs. Marian Treseder ent teach and also be in charge of the preparatory departm West at a salary of $70 a month; also added was Miss Jane at the adequate salary of $45 per month. people, to a The Moench was many things to many growing audience in the Ogden area it became a cultural theater gathering place as the Weber State college little school was organized there in 1927. During the 1927-28 was year the statue that adorned the front of the building one was designed and sculpturing began. The sculptor its upon and artist ity commun a Clarence H. Packer, Revealed.” It completion the statue was dubbed “Truth was first lighted for the community in May, 1929. Among the first theatrical offerings to be presented in the Moench building were such plays as “The Unchastened Woman”, “The Lion and the Mouse”, “Under Cover”, and “The Prodigal Husband”. red Weber College and the Moench building were transfer to the State of Utah July 1, 1933 and in its twelfth year s the old Moench began serving the educational program of the state. At this time the college had seen nine principals and four presidents and became a state institution under the guidance of Aaron W. Tracy. The Moench building was the educational hub of Ogden as Weber became a fully accredited Junior College. As the men began returning from the Second World War, enrollments swelled and the Moench and the lower campus enjoyed their finest years. The need soon became apparent however, for a larger facility somewhere in Ogden. The decline of the Moench began slowly in 1953 when the college moved many of its operations onto the new campus at 3750 Harrison Boulevard, but for many years after the auditorium in the Moench was still the site of most musical and dramatic offerings for the college. It wasn’t really until the construction of the new Fine Arts center that the college finally bid farewell to the simple old red brick building on Jefferson Avenue. By prior agreement, when the college had no further use for the building, it reverted back to the ownership of the L.D.S. church and in 1970 the decision was made to raze the building. The historic old building had housed many generations of Weber students in addition to being used by the Ogden City schools and others for special educational programs. Many books, brochures and letters on the new campus still bear the picture of the old building and to many it will always be the symbol of Weber State. Prior to its destruction certain fixtures from the buildings were rescued and will be permanently displayed on the Weber State College campus. We have attempted to, in some way, retain the spirit of the Moench so that present and future students might take an interest in the proud history of Weber and the formative years when Weber College was the Moench Building. a i \ Fund Drive....... a | ..... News