Ohio University: A Tale of Two Eras - A Mother-Daughter Perspective
Alyssa Gray is a freshman studying political science and an opinion writer. Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.
This Mom’s weekend, my mom and I decided to take a look at how Athens has changed in the past 30 years. My dad and her both graduated in 1998. She studied elementary education. This weekend, we took a trip around campus and reminisced on old memories and shared new ones. Using old pictures provided by friends, family and alumni, we were able to discover that although buildings have changed, businesses have moved out and moved in, and students have graduated, the feeling of Athens itself has not wavered.
Our first stop around campus was my room in Pickering Hall. I was lucky enough to live in the exact same room my mom lived in when she was a freshman. To my mom’s memory, the room looks exactly the same as she left it almost 30 years ago. The bed frame, the closets, as well as the desk and chair are the same ones she sat in as a freshman in 1994. However, there are some things that have changed, for one, she and her roommate had no air conditioning to cool them off. During the 90s, Ohio U followed a quarter instead of a semesterly schedule, so students were in Athens into the hot days of June. My dad, on the other hand, was lucky enough to experience the luxury of Gamertsfelder Hall, which had the glorious window A/C we all know and love. Though Gamertsfelder had A/C unlike the other residence halls, the bathrooms were quite different from the Pickering bathrooms. The men's restroom had community showers. Students showered under rows of showerheads with no curtains separating them. However, in Pickering, the bathrooms have been renovated since, but still have the same style with a curtained shower and changing area. The rooms also did not include a mini fridge or microwave like they do today. Although not allowed, Ohio U students frequently used a hot pot to heat up water to make mac and cheese or heat up soup. Even though the bed frame is the same, students had to loft their own bed and were not able to have it pre-built before they moved in.
Left: Alyssa Gray, 2024. Right: Robyn Gray, 1994
Left: Alyssa Gray, 2024. Right: Robyn Gray, 1994
Photos provided by: Left to right -Monica Petrucci Meier, Alyssa Gray 2024, Colleen Kehoe Conn (Inside Washington Hall)
After checking out the room we had both lived in, my mom and I traveled behind Pickering Hall to see what once stood. Living in my mom’s old room as a freshman this year has been such a special thing for both me and my mom. I was saddened to find out that her sophomore year dorm, Atkinson, has since been torn down. Many others that once stood behind the front four were torn down because of deferred maintenance issues. These buildings were located near the Hocking River. The demolition of these buildings made room for more green space and the hammock park. These buildings were torn down because of maintenance issues and planning for a new building behind the front four.
Photos provided by: Left to right- Kim Franklin Chaplow and Alyssa Gray, 2024
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub , 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024
Our next stop around campus was at Ping Recreation Center. My mom was able to experience both the Grover Recreation Center and Ping. Ping was built in 1996, halfway through my mom’s experience at Ohio U. She recalls that Ping’s construction was a big deal to students. Grover Center before renovations was small and creepy at times, in my parents' words. Ping boasted new equipment for students. The climbing wall and the track were two of my mom’s favorite things. It was so new and exciting that my mom and her friends went nearly every day. Though now Ping is very much connected to campus, in the 1990s it was far removed from campus.
Left to right: Alyssa Gray and Alden Library Archives 1996
We then wandered to Baker University Center. The Baker we all know today was built a while after my parents attended Ohio U. The Schoonover Center for Communication used to be where the student center was once located. Many students did not go into the old student center as much as they do today. The Front Room Coffeehouse was located in Schoonover but served plain coffee instead of the fancier drinks we can get there today. It was referred to as THE Front Room Coffeehouse. You can still see the remnants of the coffee shop. The patio area on the side of Schoonover used to be the patio for students to sit and drink coffee. Other than Front Room, students did not use Schoonover much at all. My mom recalls the halls of Schoonover being quiet, other than students waiting for coffee. There were pool tables, a bowling alley in the basement, as well as a few offices for student organizations. Not to mention the ability to skip the hills using the escalator. My mom recalls having to trudge up Morton Hill every morning for class, just like I do now.
Photos provided by: Alyssa Gray, 2024 and Jennifer Jerauld Straub , 1994
After taking the escalators in Baker to skip the hills, we ventured onto Court Street. My mom remembers the Burrito Buggy sitting on Union Street, where Rise and Grind is now located every day. Though it sometimes makes an appearance, it is definitely not around as frequently. My mom was happy to see that it still looks the exact same, and the menu hasn't changed either. Across the street sits the College Bookstore. Other than a wider selection of textbooks, the types of products it sells now are similar. In 1996, the university changed from the logo of a pawprint to the image of the attack cat. Students at the time were outraged. Mostly because instead of having an even spread between paw print merchandise and attack cat merchandise, all of it was the new attack cat. Still to this day, my parents protest the attack cat and try their best to buy Ohio U things without it. Though they are still sore about the change, my parents have agreed they like how the paw print signifies their generation at Ohio U, and the attack cat symbolizes future generations.
Photos provided by; Kara Steiniger Coates and Alyssa Gray, 2024
After checking out the college bookstore, my mom remembered a favorite place of students. Where Whits sits now used to be a popular place for students. Perks was a coffee shop. With the popularity of Friends, many students loved the coffee shop atmosphere of Perks. Though Court Street now has a wide variety of coffee shops, it was not common to have stand-alone places dedicated to serving coffee. She also mentioned she missed a place called My Favorite Muffin. She recalls that they had the widest variety of muffins she had ever seen, and a chocolate chip muffin that she loved. However, after taking my mom to Donkey Coffee, she confessed that their chocolate chip muffin was indeed better than the one she loved at My Favorite Muffin. My mom and I share our favorite places to eat in Athens. We both would say that Casa Nueva is our all-time favorite restaurant. Bagel Street Deli is also a classic favorite of ours. Thankfully, both of these restaurants have stood the test of time and are still around for us to enjoy today. Her favorite bars, The Pub, and the CI, are also still around today and favorites among students.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
We walked back to College Green and the class gateway. College Green has remained exactly the same. However, the trees have grown much taller, so the coverage of the trees is much higher now. When my mom went to Ohio U, Athens had an incredible music scene. Memorial Auditorium boasted popular acts such as Toad the Wet Sprocket and Gin Blossoms. My mom specifically recalls seeing a showing of Pink Floyd’s The Wall movie in Mem Aud. In the 90s, many bars had live music from bands across Athens and Columbus. Unfortunately today, one of the only popular places to see live music is at The Union.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Before leaving, we checked out some of the academic buildings and the library. The academic buildings look similar, with the exception of Copeland Hall, which was renovated in 1995. Alden Library looks similar, just with the addition of new technology. My mom was surprised that many students still use the library to study. Though she had her own computer in her room, which was a rarity in her time, many students had to go to Alden if they wanted to use a computer for an assignment. These days, most students have their own laptops. Alden Library is not always used as a place with computers to use, but as a quiet study space or a place to hold study sessions.
Photos provided by: Dan Keck, 1998 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub, 1994 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Dan Keck, 1998 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Vanessa Mandell, 1992 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Dan Keck, 1998 and Alyssa Gray, 2024.
Photos provided by: Erin Fritz Bush, 1996 and Alyssa Gray, 2024
Photos provided by: Alden Digital Archives, 1990, and Alyssa Gray, 2024
As we walked back to our car parked at the Convocation Center, we talked about how much sports have changed in 30 years. In the 90s, the football team was not the greatest. Her freshman year in 1994, the team's record was 0-11. Frequently, students would stay until halftime to see the 110, and then leave after the halftime show. Basketball and hockey were a different story, however. The basketball team’s star player Gary Trent led the team to win the Mid-American Conference title in the season of 1994. The hockey team won the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s championship in the 94-95, 95-96 and 96-97 seasons. Our football team has gotten significantly better in the past 30 years. This year, the team had almost the opposite record, with the team ending the season with a record of 10-3. The basketball team has done well, as well as the hockey team. One thing I was surprised about was that Rufus was not a large part of campus life outside of athletics. Now Rufus is a large part of both academics and athletics.
Photos provided by: Amy Vincent
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub 1994, and Alyssa Gray 2024.
With it being Fest Season, I couldn’t help but ask both of my parents what the party scene was like on campus. Fest Season for them included other streets, not the ones we know today. The ones that are the same are High and Palmer Fest. They still remember when the police department would bring out the horses to break up parties. Now, fest season is arranged by a promotion company, which arranges the dates themselves. In the 90s, people who lived on the streets decided the dates themselves. Students would hear when things were happening by word of mouth instead of through social media. We recognized that the police have changed their approach during fest season. In the 90s, the police were on the lookout for any and all underage drinkers. In recent years, the police have said they are looking for students who are breaking other laws, in addition to underage drinking. Undercover cops were still prominent in the 90s. The Greenery was a bar located where The Overhang and apartments are now. The Greenery served underage drinkers even without a fake ID. My parents remembered the bar was often poked fun at as the “freshman bar” because only freshmen who were underage would go there. I would call Red Brick Tavern the modern-day equivalent of The Greenery. I explained what an average weekend on Court Street looked like, and my mom was surprised to hear that many students on campus have fake IDs. I told her that although I did not have one, many people I know do. Now, most parties are either at fraternities or exclusive at people's homes. In my mom’s experience, most of the parties she attended were at random people's houses. One of the biggest and craziest events during her time at Ohio U was during the time change in the spring of 1996. Students became disgruntled when the bars closed earlier than the regular 2 a.m. during the night of the springtime change. All bars closed at the same time, so students flocked to Court Street, which caused mayhem in the process. The police were called, and in her experience were aggressive with students. Many ended up arrested in the process. She doesn’t remember any other particularly crazy nights as a college student at Ohio U.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub 1994, and Alyssa Gray 2024.
Photos provided by: Kim Franklin Chaplow View From 7th Floor and Alyssa Gray 2024
As we ate dinner at Qdoba, we talked about how meal plans and eating at the dining halls have changed. At Nelson Court, instead of having many meal options, there was one meal per day, such as fried ravioli, which was my mom’s favorite. There were things like burgers, pasta and a salad bar every day, but only one option that would change daily. There was also no such thing as a flex plan. Most students chose 14 meals each week. Since there were no to-go boxes available, students would always eat together. She recalls asking friends and anyone around on her floor if they wanted to go to dinner together.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub 1994, and Alyssa Gray 2024.
Photos provided by: Jennifer Jerauld Straub 1994, and Alyssa Gray 2024.
One thing that has definitely made our college experience different is the change in technology. Technology has completely changed the way each of us has experienced college. For one, the use of Snapchat between students has made things very different. You would hear about parties or things going on around campus only by word of mouth or posters around, instead of checking the Snapchat story. My friends and I tend to plan weekends far in advance, however, in her experience, my mom would just show up at friends' houses or rooms and ask if they were free. Each dorm room had a landline that students could call each other with. They were out of luck if their friends weren’t in their room to answer the call. She also thought it was crazy that unless you called time and date to find out the weather, you wouldn’t know what the temperature was outside until you stepped out to go to class. These days, students can take a quick look at their phones to find out if they need an umbrella or a heavy coat. One of the first things I asked her when she came to visit for mom’s weekend was what it was like when her mom came down. She said her mom never came down because it was so hard to get information and coordinate. Students received fliers in their mailboxes, but figuring out the rest of the information was just too hard for her and my grandma to figure out. When we planned this weekend together, I was able to text her sporadically whenever I found out new information. As I was trying to collect pictures to compare the 90s to now, my mom explained that she had very few pictures outside of her dorm room, because carrying a camera around was not ideal. Additionally, there was no point in her mind to take random pictures around town. Since writing this article, I now have pictures of places around campus that I may not have taken before.
Photos by: Alden Archives and Alyssa Gray
Photos by: Alden Archives and Alyssa Gray
Photos by: Alden Archives and Alyssa Gray
Overall, we found that even though buildings and experiences have changed, the feeling of being in Athens has stayed the same. She says it still feels like home every time she goes. Before I was a student at Ohio U, my family went to visit Athens every couple of months. Now that I am here, they come even more often. After comparing experiences from both alumni and current students, the college experience at Ohio U is very similar even though 30 years apart. Both my mom and I are happy that some of the most beloved places like Casa Nueva, Bagel Street, The Pub and The CI are still around for students to experience.
Thank you to all the friends, family and alumni who shared photos with me. I could not have been able to showcase the before and after of campus without your help. A special thank you to both of my parents, as well as Alden Library. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the university or seeing more photos from the past, please visit Alden Library on the 5th floor or visit their digital archives collection.
