The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 03, 1985, Page 2, Image 2
, IV :
Hub of the Horseshoe |^, ^
Paige Fillion and Jennifer Russell
take a ride on McKissick Museum's
elevator, the oldest ,in Columbia. The
elevator is unique in that it has both a
door and a steel cage. v
The McKissick Museum building was
known first as the University Library. f
Since then it has been rededicated 'fTi
twice, first as McKissick Library and in ffip/S;
1976 as McKissick Museum. J. Rion fW^pl
McKissick, 22nd president of USC and [Jfafe*
former dean ot the college or fiareK .
journalism. fif j ?|iil
The facility was constructed in 1940
at the head of the Horseshoe where J gj*jpjp|2
the president's house had been since t t
Courtesy USC Information Services
-I -
McKissick buildii
By Susan Paine
News editor
The history of USC's McKissick Museum
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changing needs.
Built as a library during President J. Rion
McKissick's administration in 1939-1940, the
building outgrew its capacity as a library 20 years
later.
Those who knew it when it was a library say it
now serves a much better function.
"IT'S SERVING its best purpose as a museum,"
said Davy-Jo Ridge, assistant director of libraries.
Built in the spot at the head of the Horseshoe
where the president's house had been located since
1807, the Renaissance-style building cost
$560,374.25 of Depression dollars with funds from
the university. Works Progress Administration and
state Legislature.
It was rededicated twice, first in 1945 as the
McKissick Library, and in 1976 as the McKissick
Museum, when the library was moved to Thomas
Cooper.
"It was one of the worst libraries as far as function
was concerned. It was designed from the outside
and the space was just sort of fit in," said Kenneth
Tnnmhc I Hirertrv of libraries "Whpn we
moved the library, use ...creased about 1,000
percent."
THE MCKISSICK LIBRARY could not accomodate
the influx of published material USC was
receiving, and although plans to add on to
McKissick were considered, in 1967 plans for a new
central library began.
McKissick was built to house 350,000 volumes.
Today, Thomas Cooper, the newest library on campus,
houses 1.5 million volumes, with that many
more on microform.
To build a replica of the McKissick building
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1970s than the $9.4 million budgeted for Thomas
Cooper, Toornbs said.
USC was forced to come up with some solution to
the growing amount of library materials. Makeshift
wood shelves had been put under stairwells, and all
other available space was used until McKissick
could house no more, Toombs said.
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ig serves Carolin.
"It was one of the worst libraries as far
as function was concerned. It was designed
from the outside and the space was just
sort of fit in. When we moved the library (to
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I nomas uooper uurary/, use iiiuiedseu
about one thousand percent."
Kenneth Toombs
Director of Libraries
LIBRARY BELONGINGS began to creep across
campus. Library books, equipment and furniture
were stored in a variety of places around campus for
six years before the move to Thomas Cooper.
Five thousand boxes of books were stored in an
area adjacent to the Elephant Room in the coliseum;
Petigru, the old law library, was filled with
books; the football stadium was used for storage;
the top two floors of the new law library was taken
over by books; storage area under Carolina Gardens
married housing was used; and the science library in
the Physical Science building had twice as many
books as it had room for, Toombs said.
"They were always coming for us to get the books
out," he said.
He added that it took 60 students and staff 18
days to move 60,000 boxes into Thomas Cooper.
Windows in McKissick were opened, and two
haybelts were used as a conveyer for the boxes.
THE STAFF kept track of the boxes to the extent
of checking out books during the 18 day move.
"We knew where the books were at all times,"
Toombs said.
The record of the most books ever checked out at
USC in one day, 2,200, was set the first day Thomas
Cooper Library opened, June 4, 1976, four years
after remodeling the original three floors and facade
of what was the undergraduate library.
The undergraduate iibrary had been an attempt to
relieve the space problems the university was having,
but it was not enough.
STAFF MEMBERS who worked at McKissick
stiil have memories of an inadequate library.
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"There were few lights, no air condition* ,ib;
ing, no carpet, and the ceilings were just a plc
little over my head. It was a pretty building mil
on the outside but not worth a damn on the ,
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as a library." ,ig,
Kenneth Toombs of
Director of Libraries 1
nit
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Toombs said at McKissick, 500 users was con- '
sidercd to be a landslide day, while at Cooper ten ele
times that amount is common. of
Thomas Cooper has over 900 private study rooms an
and can accomodate 2,600 visitors.
"In McKissick not too many books were used in th
the building," Toombs said. "The average oc- sa
cupancy rate (in Thomas Cooper) is three times as Se
long. Some people come here and stay all day." di
BEFORE THE MOVE to Thomas Cooper, Ridge
said students could steal books and throw them out be
the windows in McKissick.
When McKissick was built, air conditioning was th
an invention of the future, so high ceilings were as
designed to keep reading areas cool.
In the back where the stacks were located, the ui
space was divided in half, leaving low ceilings and
clausterphobic areas to work in. Lighting was poor,
temperature control was difficult and Ridge said ui
there was no color scheme.
tY
"There were few lights, no air conditioning, no th
carpet, and the ceilings were just a little over my rc
head," Toombs said. "It was a pretty building on it
the outside but not worth a damn on the inside at
thk iinic MrKi?irk was outdated as a librarv." p;
T;
NOISY AIR CONDITIONING units were install- h
ed in the offices where some staff members worked j(
Ridge said.
"When 1 came there were huge interior air conditioning
units. It felt like you were riding on an fi
airplane engine," she said. "The sound was S
deafening." 5
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as museum "
some liked to go deep into the recesses of the
rary to find peace of mind.
'1 liked to go in the stacks because it was like exiling
a cave," Information Services adnistrative
assistant Bonnie Rabon said. "
VfCKISSICK DOES not have the facilties to ac- A ^
Tiodale.lho. library needs of a growing, university. '1
rhomas Cooper contains 21 miles of florescent
hts, six and one-half acres of carpet and 45 miles
shelves.
One museum asset that has survived changes
ide in the interior of McKissick is an out-of-date
vator.
Quaint to some and baffling to others, the
vator requires one to open a door to get on and
f the relic, allowing time for the steel gate to open
d close once inside. . I
FIRST TIME riders have been found standing in
e elevator waiting for the door to open for them,
id Debra Allen, assistant director of Information i
irvices. If no one comes along to help them in their
thpv mav hp whick^H r?ff tr? annthpr flnnr
;fore realizing what to do.
Everyday riders have learned to watch their step
:cause the elevator never stops level with the floor.
"Whenever the thing acts up we kid ourselves
at it's J. Rion McKissick's ghost," John Heiting,
sociate director of McKissick said.
McKissick Museum hasn't outgrown the
liversity. ^
f
TUL'Dl' A DI' II
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diversity exhibit Heiting said.
"It will be a meeting room for university groups
lat in part of furbishing will include an exhibit so
lat when people are in a meeting they will be surjunded
by things pertinent to the history of the
luseum," Heiting said.
George Terry, director of McKissick said the
allery will include university artifacts such as
830's dueling pistols that students used and 1980
icisman i ropny winner ueorge Kogers' tootball
:rsey.
The museum is open seven days a week. Hours ^
om Monday through Friday are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
aturday the museum opens at 10 a.m. and closes at
p.m. and Sunday hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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