Human Sciences bids farewell to Spidle Hall, looks ahead to new era

There are few people quite as familiar with Spidle Hall than College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard who walked the halls as a student, professor, served in numerous administrative and academic capacities during her time and now serves as dean. She briefly addressed the guests at the farewell celebration as she now prepares to lead the college into an exciting new era with an innovative state-of-the-art building coming in 2027.

“Even as we step into a bold and innovative future, we carry with us every single lesson, every single memory and every ounce of spirit Spidle Hall has given us, but it is not an ending, this is a continuation and new chapter built on a proud and enduring foundation,” said Hubbard. “We are filled with emotion for all that Spidle Hall means to us. You built us and now together, we will build what is next. Thank you, Spidle Hall, for the memories.”

Named after Marion Walker Spidle, who served as dean of home economics from 1938 until 1966, one of Spidle’s own relatives was on hand for the farewell event as Shelia Shumate, great niece of Spidle, shared thoughts of what Spidle might think of the tremendous growth the College of Human Sciences has experienced in the last few decades if she were alive today.

“I remember her more as an aunt than I do as a university professor or dean, but I think she would absolutely be thrilled,” said Shumate. “She loved human sciences or back then it was referred to more as home economics. It’s exciting because I know she did so much here, and I think she would be excited about a new building because eventually change is inevitable.”

As Spidle Hall saw thousands of Auburn students walk in and out its doors, times were not always easy as students from 2020 found themselves, along with the entire campus, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and all the challenges that came with it.

Chatham Kuchta and Caroline Parrish, a pair of College of Human Sciences alumnae from the Department of Human Development and Family Science, both graduated in 2020 and shared memories from their time in Spidle Hall. Kuchta now works as a family law attorney and Parrish as a school counselor.

“A good memory was when the College of Human Sciences had the walk-through graduation celebration in Spidle Hall in August 2020 because we were not able to walk at graduation because of COVID-19,” said Parrish. “It just made things special since we missed out on a normal graduation.”

“My favorite part about Spidle Hall was more about the people than the building itself,” added Kuchta. “It’s not a huge building so you would walk out after your classes and your professors were always around, so it was really tight knit the whole HDFS program. But I remember always running into someone I knew in Spidle so that made it really fun for me.”

The ultimate goal one hopes to have when attending college is to prepare themselves for a long and successful career and 1971 College of Human Sciences alumna Linda Horn received just that — taking the majority of her courses in Spidle Hall while majoring in housing, interior furnishings and equipment.

“Spidle Hall was always fun to me having the food classes and labs because I knew I wanted to be demonstrating equipment and preparing meals and teaching microwave oven classes, so I loved the food labs,” said Horn. “I loved interior design, and I remember having Dr. Mary Ann Potter and I fondly remember those courses, and everything was just really rewarding. Even though the college was smaller, it prepared me for a long 44-year career where I ended up as vice president of Pioneer Electric Cooperative.”

Leigh Ann Elliott, a 2017 alumna of Hospitality Management, spoke fondly of Spidle Hall but also alluded to the issues that can arise with an older building and the excitement that will come with getting a new building.

“I know when I was here, there were a few times we had to cancel class because the A/C would go out, so they won’t have to experience things like that,” Elliott said with a laugh. “I do think with the new building it will just put Auburn on the map even more than it already was. It gives the students a more fun learning experience and more hands-on experiences.”

As the chapter closes on Spidle Hall and the building will be demolished this fall, this will usher in an exciting new era at the College of Human Sciences as the Barbara Drummond Thorne Academic and Research Facility will allow many of the students, faculty and staff that are currently spread across multiple buildings on campus to make the transition to the new facility allowing for more collaboration throughout the units.

Along with being cutting edge, the transformative new facility will be larger than Spidle Hall, approximately 125,000 square feet, providing students and faculty in the multiple programs in Human Sciences, from Interior Design, Apparel Design and Merchandising to Human Development and Family Science, Nutritional Sciences and more a modern learning environment to enhance the competitive edge graduates already take into their careers. In addition, the new facility will continue to attract top talent to the multiple nationally ranked and recognized programs in the college.

“Every single department in the College of Human Sciences has nationally ranked or recognized programs and now, finally, we will have facilities that reflect the excellence of our students, our faculty, and our staff,” said Hubbard. “Walking into the Barbara Drummond Thorne Facility will be another day of celebration for the College of Human Sciences and a testament to the legacy and the promise of Human Sciences at Auburn University.”

Upon leaving the farewell to Spidle event, guests took home small keepsakes including a coffee mug and small portrait of the watercolor featuring Spidle Hall.