The Ottawa Campus

Issue date: 9/26/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Aaron Tank Present day Tauy Jones.

Media Credit: file photo Old Tauy Jones

Happy is the institution that has somewhere on campus, a building around which a cluster the memories resides, which stands as a monument to the faith, and commemorates the struggles and the heroic service of those who have gone before.

Tauy Jones hall is such a building, and according to Dr. Milan L. Ward, Grand Old Man of Ottawa University, dubbed by Tauy Talk magazine in 1969, it must be preserved for the generations of students who will come to OU.

The oldest building at OU topped with a brillant-colored dome is Tauy Jones Hall. The building was built in April 1869 and became a much-loved symbol of the university. Since the building was completed, the hall has stood as the OU symbol for more than 135 years.

A little-known fact to current OU students about Tauy Jones, is that it was once a custom that senior classes paint their numerals on the dome.

"The event started as a prank back in the late 1890s, but became the popular thing to do, for each class to out-do the previous year. Throughout the years, at least through my research, seniors took pride in painting the dome and therefore, that became tradition," 2006 alumnus and former student body president Scott Brown said.

Before the dome was coppered, it used to be painted in the university colors of black and gold.

"When I was a student here, anybody, could go up to the dome and paint. If my friends or social group asked me to go up to the dome to paint, I would be happy to do that," alumnae and Associate Professor of Library Science Jan Lee said.

Later, the university decided that once a year, senior classes could paint their numerical graduation year. A chip of the historic layer, and a traditional paint bucket that has several numerals on it are displayed at the OU Meyer's Library.

"The custom was really fun for students. I painted my numerals on the dome in 1991. That was the last time before the end of the custom. An insurance company told school they could not pay student's insurance if the custom continued. I felt they took an entertaining activity from students," Human Resources Director Joanna Walters said.

Some people wish the tradition could continue.

"This tradition has been lost the last few decades, but I would like to see a mini dome reconstructed to be on display, maybe by the eternal flame, that could be the senior class dome," Brown said.

Tauy Jones Hall has changed its functions thoughout the years, from a dorm that housed both students and the university president to class rooms, a science hall, a music building, and the present administrative building.

"When it was music hall, there was always non-paid students living there, i.e. pigeons," Walters said.

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