Spindler Hall

User Note: Cross the parking lot next to Waldo Stadium and head towards the staircase. Go up the stairs and continue forward until you reach the sidewalk, then turn left. Follow the sidewalk until you are in front of Spindler Hall.

During the late 1930s and early 1940s, Western’s campus was expanding, and new structures were being built to accommodate the growing student population. Completed in 1940, the new dormitory accommodated up to 200 women and featured communal bathrooms and kitchenettes on each floor. Much like the other residence halls constructed during this period, the new hall for women was constructed out of brick and drew inspiration from the Tudor architectural style. The building was later named after Western faculty member Lavina Spindler, who worked as a teacher at the Training School and as the director of the Women’s League.

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In November of 1939, the plans for a new women’s residence hall were approved by the State Board of Education. The building, like many of the other structures on campus, was to be built on a self-liquidating basis, which means that the building would earn back the money that was spent on it through resident fees such as room and board.

The building was completed in 1940 under the direction of Malcomson, Calder, and Hammond Incorporated and was named in honor of Lavina Spindler. Spindler was hired at Western in 1906 and held multiple positions before her retirement around 1938, which included critic teacher and director of the Training School, Dean of Women, instructor, advisor, and director of the Women’s League. The exterior of the building also features cement bas-reliefs at the entrance that detail the accomplishments of Lavina Spindler during her time at Western.

Spindler Hall was built to accommodate around 200 women and each room featured a single bed, a double study desk with filing drawers and a shelf for a typewriter, and linens that incorporated the resident’s monogram. The main floor featured a lobby area, director’s office, reception room, and dining room, as well as murals on the east and west walls which were painted by Gustave Hildebrand. Much like the other East Campus buildings, Spindler Hall was renovated in the 1990s and is still being used as a residence hall today.

Knauss, James O. The First Fifty Years: A History of Western Michigan College of Education, 1903-1953. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan College of Education, 1953. 

“New $300,000 Dormitory Named for Lavina Spindler, Member of Western State's Faculty for 32 Years.” Kalamazoo Gazette, October 13, 1940. 

University Libraries. Rep. Biographical Data on Persons for Whom Buildings Were Named, 1975. 

“Spindler Hall Dedication Set for October 17-19.” Kalamazoo Gazette, October 13, 1940. 

Carlson, Sharon; Glatz, Jason, WMU Facilities Management. “WMU Campus History” [storymap], https://campus-history.library.wmich.edu/index.html. (Accessed February 17, 2022) 

Massie, Larry B. Brown and Golden Memories: Western Michigan University's First Century. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan University, 2003