1952-1961
The 1950s brought major changes to student life at Weber College. The first change was the development of a second campus. Beginning in 1952, ground was broken for this new campus on Harrison Boulevard. The Rotary Club of Ogden helped pay for a wall along Harrison Blvd. as an entrance for the new campus. Following the groundbreaking, students helped build Buildings 1-4. The Harrison campus opened in 1954, and Weber College operated split campuses that were three miles apart until 1969. By the end of the decade, the new campus had seven buildings. As buildings were completed, the school was able to slowly move more classes and activities to the Harrison campus.
Soon after the groundbreaking of the new campus, students at Weber College bid fond farewells to President Henry Aldous Dixon after he stepped down as president of the college. He was replaced by William P. Miller, who would go on to become the longest serving president in the history of the institution.
In 1953, the state of Utah considered transferring control of all the junior colleges back to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints due to funding issues. Many students and residents of Weber County protested this potential action, and a group went to Salt Lake City to lobby the legislature to continue state-control of the college. Through the efforts of students, faculty, staff, and others, the legislature voted to retain control of the junior colleges. This decision was met with great enthusiasm across campus.
As the decade went on, events continued as normal. Intramurals were held, student organizations hosted parties, and student life returned to normal after the previous two decades. Theatrical productions staged during the 1950s included “The Crucible”, “Oklahoma”, “The King and I”, “Death of a Salesman”, and “Martha.” At the time, Weber College did not have a theater for performances. Most productions took place at the Ogden High School Auditorium or in the Cellar Theater in the Women’s Dormitory. Occasional performances also took place at Peery’s Egyptian Theatre in downtown Ogden.
1954 brought the first photograph of someone dressed as a wildcat mascot. Despite the wildcat drawing from the Signpost having a name, this costumed mascot went unnamed.
As the decade ended, some final changes took place that affected student life on campus. The most impactful change to student life was the granting of four-year status to Weber College on March 19, 1959. It would be a few years before the first bachelor’s degree was awarded, however, this change allowed students to stay at Weber longer and allowed for expanding degree offerings which would change the makeup of the student body.
The final change of the decade was the dedication of the Union Building in September of 1961. Prior to this dedication, students would gather in the College Inn on the Jefferson Campus to eat food at the diner or hangout, or the Temporary Union Building (TUB) on the Harrison Campus. This new union building would bring the focal point of student life to the center of the Harrison campus and provided the services offered in the College Inn and the TUB along with many new services including a cafeteria, a radio station, and a bowling alley.
