Doney Hall, West Virginia Wesleyan College

Built in 1962, Doney Hall, was named after the fourth president of West Virginia Wesleyan College: President Carl G. Doney, who served from 1906 until 1912.

Doney Hall’s cornerstone was placed in 1961, was announced that it was to be named after Carl G. Doney on Alumni Day (5), and was the final addition to “the quad” of dormitory halls. It is in between its two brother halls, McCuskey and Flemming, abridging the two where a parking lot once was. Many “Jumps” happen here, on Greek Life Induction Days (6).

Carl G. Doney served the Wesleyan College from 1907 through 1915; he raised the standards of the whole school. He expanded the campus, improved upon sports opportunities, and helped get more funding. At the end of his stay as WVWC’s President, he was given a degree of Doctor of Laws, effected at the annual commencement of Howard University on June 5th; he also received many votes for becoming bishop (more than any other resident Methodist minister in the state of West Virginia) (1). He was responsible for lengthening the classes from 40 minutes to a full hour, and was president during Wesleyan’s “Golden Age for Men’s Athletics” (7).

Interestingly enough, in 1912, Doney took his family to Europe on November 1, on a steamer called Haverford, and were there when World War I started (they made it home safely) (2).

The Hall itself was originally an only men’s hall, planning to raise the housing of men on campus up to 500 over the span of its three floors. Jimison and Son (a contracting firm from Huntington), offered the lowest bid for the dorm. Their bid was originally $176,000, which, when combined with the loan ($683,900) from Housing and Home financing agency in Philadelphia PA, was exactly what the school needed for the project. It was intended to be completed by Larson and Larson architects in August of 1961 (3).

 The construction of the building began on May 9, 1960, and the price was a grand total of $850,000 through the contract of C. H. Jimison and Son, Inc. of Huntington, and the Construction Supervisor, L.R. Bird, oversaw the project, with a prediction of housing 216 men (4). The actual completion of the building wasn’t until August of 1962. Currently, the bottom floor is co-ed, with a lobby separating the two wings; the second floor is women, and the third is men. As of the last 10 years, Doney now has rooms with individual heating and cooling elements. 70 of which are single/upperclassman rooms (8)

1. President Doney Honored with LL.D. (1912, June). Pharos, p. 17. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from http://cdm271901.cdmhost.com/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p271901coll13/id/5406/rec/2

2. Doney's Departure. (1913, November). Pharos, p. 22. Retrieved January 30, 2019, from http://cdm271901.cdmhost.com/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p271901coll13/id/5197/rec/12

3. College Receives Bid on Dorm Expansions. (1960, March 8). Pharos, p. 1. Retrieved February 09, 2019, from http://cdm271901.cdmhost.com/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p271901coll13/id/1385/rec/22

4. Growth and Expansion. (1960, June). West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin - Sundial, 7-7. Retrieved February 10, 2019, from http://cdm271901.cdmhost.com/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16111coll2/id/1491/rec/1

5. Alumni Join in Class Reunions; Emeritus Club Elects Hartley. (1962, June). West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin - Sundial, 1-1. Retrieved February 08, 2019, from http://cdm271901.cdmhost.com/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16111coll2/id/1990/rec/1

6. West Virginia Wesleyan College. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2019, from https://www.wvwc.edu/campus-life/student-involvement/greek-life/

7. Miller, B.T. (2014) Our Home Among the Hills: West Virginia Wesleyan College’s First 125 Years. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company Publishers.

8. West Virginia Wesleyan College. (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2019, from https://www.wvwc.edu/campus-life/housing-residence-life/residence-halls/doney-hall/