| API President L.N. Duncan's funeral took place in July 1947
in a pine-shaded amphitheater that had been part of a dream come true in
his lifetime. As Extension Service director, he had wanted to build
a camp site for farmers and 4-H youths among the beautiful trees southwest
of Duncan Hall. As college president in 1935, he saw twenty-five
cottages built there with Public Works money. The Graves Amphitheatre,
named for Governor Bibb Graves, five additional cottages, and a dining
hall that doubled as an auditorium were built later. Through the
years not only farm and 4-H conferences, but other events ranging from
plays and pep rallies to community church services were held there.
Eventually, athletes were housed and fed in Graves Centre until the completion
of the athletic dormitory, Sewell Hall, in 1962. Most of the cottages
and the dining hall had been removed for the Physical Science Center and
the new architecture building. The last three cottages were removed
in the 1990s. The amphitheatre became a part of the Fine Arts complex.
-- Photo: AU Archives |
