Fleming Hall, West Virginia Wesleyan College

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Established in 1952, Fleming hall became the first men’s residence hall on West Virginia Wesleyan’s campus, and was named after the late Wallace B. Fleming in 1955. Dr. Fleming was President of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1915-1922.

Images

Final touches being added during Fleming Hall’s construction in 1953

Fleming Hall was built in 1953, an addition added in 1960, and remodeled into air-conditioned suite style living which was available for the 2009-2010 academic year.

President Wallace B. Fleming (1915-1922)

Wallace B. Fleming returned to Wesleyan in 1938, at the request of President Roy McCuskey, to serve as Vice President with responsibilities for fundraising. He remained in this role until 1945.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Dr. Wallace B. Fleming was president from 1915-1922. During his presidency World War I was being fought, so the college housed and trained students from the army training corp. Dr. Fleming was also president when the Spanish Flu epidemic hit Wesleyan’s campus in 1918. Most students were quarantined, and the Annex had to be turned into a hospital to take care of the influx of patients. Despite the disasters that occurred during his presidency, Dr. Fleming was responsible for the development of many new academic programs and was admired by his students and faculty and known for his warm, courteous, and Christlike manner. He even wrote the lyrics to West Virginia Wesleyan’s Alma Mater in 1918.

Wallace B. Fleming returned to West Virginia in 1938 upon the request of Roy McCuskey to become Vice President. He remained VP until 1945 before retiring. His fundraising included successfully establishing a contract to construct the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, Loar Music Hall, and a men’s residence hall, later named Fleming Hall in his honor.

Sources

Haught, Thomas W. West Virginia Wesleyan College First Fifty Years 1890-1940. Buckhannon, West Virginia. West Virginia Wesleyan College Press, 1940.

McGrew, Paula L.. Wallace Bruce Fleming. DreamersAndGiants.com. . . https://dreamersandgiants.com/bio-fleming-wallace-bruce-2/.

Miller, Brett T.. Our Home Among the Hills, West Virginia Wesleyan College's First 125 Years. Buckhannon, WV. West Virginia Wesleyan College, 2016.

Plummer, Kenneth M. A History of West Virginia Wesleyan College 1890-1965. Buckhannon, West Virginia. West Virginia Wesleyan College Press, 1965.