President Locklin speaks at the Naming of Blake Arena after Donor S. Prestley Blake

Item Information

Title:
President Locklin speaks at the Naming of Blake Arena after Donor S. Prestley Blake
Description:
This photograph is of Springfield College students celebrating with S. Prestley Blake, co-founder of Friendly Ice Cream, who donated a $500,000 gift towards the college's new Physical Education (PE) Complex in 1980. Mr. Blake is pictured third from the right, along with President Wilbert E. Locklin on the far left. An arrow points towards Blake Arena on the diagram, which was named after S. Prestley Blake for his considerable donation to the campaign. The arena is used as a multi-purpose facility for athletic contests, banquets, and lectures, with roll-out bleachers that seat 2,000 spectators. This photograph was originally used by the Marketing Department at SC and there are some pen marks that appear to be an arrow over a students face in the background. The PE Complex at Springfield College was built to replace the Memorial Field House, which was demolished due to structural problems in May, 1979. At the time, the facility was the largest construction project in the college’s history. The PE Complex consisted of four distinct facilities: the Art Linkletter Natatorium, a graceful steel arch roof structure with an Olympic-sized pool, a part of the college since its official dedication on October 21, 1967; Blake Arena, a massive three-story dome measuring 180 feet in diameter and extending 44 feet above the playing surface that is still used as the main venue for basketball and volleyball among other activities; the Winston Paul Academic Center that includes two teaching gymnasiums (Dana Gymnasium and Kresge Gymnasium), a wrestling room (Douglas Parker Wrestling Room), and eight handball/ racquetball courts): and the Keith Locker and Training Facility. The Art Linkletter Natatorium, which originally opened in 1967, was connected to the other structures by a 95-foot “skywalk.” The total combined space of the PE Complex was 143,000 square feet. The $5.3 million building was funded by the Capital Campaign headed by Art Linkletter. The PE Complex was primarily an educational facility where students took classes in Physical Education, Sports Medicine, and Health Fitness in order to prepare them for “human helping professions,” such as YMCA executives, athletic trainers, and coaches. The PE Complex is now part of the new Wellness and Recreation Complex that was opened in 2008. The Wellness and Recreation Complex includes the Wellness Center, Field House, and Athletic Training/ Exercise Science facility, accounting for an additional 160,560 square feet of instructional, athletic, and recreational space.
Date:
1980
Format:
Photographs
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Subjects:
Springfield College
Springfield College--Buildings
Physical Education Complex
Blake Arena
Springfield College--Presidents
Blake, S. Prestley
Locklin, Wilbert E. (Wilbert Edwin)
Friendly's Ice Cream
Students
Checks
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/6076
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Identifier:
rg135-01-01-08-004