The Gordon College Division of Education has found a new home in Smith Hall, one of the campus’ most historic buildings. ’We are thrilled to offer our education students a state-of-the-art learning environment that, at the same time, acknowledges Gordon’s history,’ said Mike Mahan, chair of the division. A rededication ceremony and ribbon cutting will be held Friday, April 20 at 1 p.m. at Smith Hall’s main entrance. The public, especially all Gordon Alumni, is invited to attend. Smith Hall, a two-story building built in 1939 for $55,000 as a Works Progress Administration project, originally contained classrooms, the school’s commercial department, two laboratories, the library and the offices of the dean and librarian. It was named Smith Hall in honor of W.B. Smith, ‘who had given so many years of loyal service and helpful advice to many presidents,’ according to ‘Heritage of Gordon Military College in The Heart of the Deep South,’ a history of Gordon Military College compiled by Faith Porch, who taught at Gordon. Byron Smith, a Gordon Military College alumnus and a descendent of W.B. Smith is slated to participate in the rededication. From 1972 until April 2011 Smith Hall was the home of Gordon’s nursing program. When the nursing program moved into the new Nursing and Allied Health Sciences building, plans got under way to renovate Smith to accommodate the growing education division ‘“ Gordon’s first four-year degree program. Smith Hall will house administrative offices on the first floor with four classrooms and a computer lab on the second floor. Two of the rooms will be set up to simulate actual classrooms ‘“ one for the elementary program and another for the middle/secondary program. ’We will start moving in the week of April 23rd,’ Mahan said. ‘We’ll start holding classes there this summer.’
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