Chapman Dorm-then
Student housing has changed greatly since the days of this 1960s dorm room. Still, it's hard not to feel nostalgic about that rotary phone.
Fall 2021 Chapman Magazine

Then & Now: Photos Reflect a Changing Landscape, But the Heart of the Chapman Experience Endures

Dawn Bonker
October 18, 2021
4 min read

“Compare and contrast,” goes the old essay prompt. Here we answer that challenge with a handful of then-and-now photos for a lighter look at physical changes around the Orange campus since Chapman relocated from Los Angeles in 1954. The physical transformation is exciting, and the old photos are a delight. And yet, the thing that stands unchanged is the Chapman heart and its steadfast and optimistic drive toward a brighter future.

First, a few numbers.

At Commencement 1955, then-Chapman College enrolled 237 students and handed out 24 bachelor of arts degrees and two bachelor of music degrees. At the close of the 2020-21 academic year, the university awarded 1,734 bachelor degrees, 556 master’s degrees, 325 professional doctorates and 36 Ph.D.s.

Then, citrus groves still dominated the landscape, and a place called Disneyland had just opened its gates. Now, more than 3 million people call Orange County home, manufacturing and health care fuel the county economy, and Disneyland leadership counts many Chapman alumni among its ranks.

Chapman has been there at every stage of development, expanding its programs to meet growing needs, helping the county evolve while marking its own achievements as a nationally ranked university.

Happily, some things are timeless, though. Stately Memorial Hall still impresses, Pete the Panther hasn’t changed his name, and that abiding Chapman Family spirit lives on, carrying the momentum forward.

Then

Campus View-then
This aerial view of Chapman shows the campus in 1955. Buildings include: 9) the Auditorium, Library and Administration Building (now called Memorial Hall); 6) the Art and Education Building (now called Reeves Hall); 7) the Dining Hall and Home Economics Building (now called Roosevelt Hall); 8) the Music, Speech Arts and Religion building (now called Wilkinson Hall); and 10) the Science Building (now called Smith Hall).

Now

Aerial view of Chapman Campus-now
Today, 11 schools and colleges and two campuses comprise Chapman University. In Orange, the historic core classroom buildings have been modernized and most recently joined by the Keck Center for Science and Engineering, seen here at center, adjoining Wilson Field.

Then

Chapman Dorm-then
All the dorm comforts of the day — including a rotary phone — were among the features of student housing in the late 1960s.

Now

Chapman Housing-now
Olivia Medina ’21, left, and Jessica Amato ’21 enjoy their fully equipped kitchen at Chapman Grand, an all-apartment residence hall where students also enjoy a pool and courtyard area decked out with grills, a hot tub and cabanas (Photo: Livi Dom ’20)

Then

Scotty at the Snack Bar
Alumni recall him as Snack Bar Scotty, a purveyor of burgers and friendly advice, shown here in a 1971 CEER yearbook photo. “He was a character,” says Willy Hall ’64 (MA ’75).

Now

Dining Hall-now
Gourmet food stations are a hallmark of the Randall Dining Commons within the Sandhu Residence and Conference Center.

Then

1968 Teaching-then
With a little imagination, the aroma of chalk dust is almost perceptible in this 1960s-era classroom photo.

Now

engineering classroom, Swenson Hall
Classroom technology like that in Swenson Family Hall of Engineering is typical across campus now. Here, computational science faculty member Rene German ’05 (MS ’15) teaches in the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Computational Science Laboratory.

Then

Wilkinson hall-then
For years, a clutch of garages and even a gas pump flanked a shady lawn near Wilkinson Hall. Built in 1905, it is the oldest building on campus.

Now

Wilkinson hall-now
Even with the myriad changes on campus, the area around Wilkinson Hall still affords students a quiet place to study and take a break.

Dawn Bonker

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