Background Maeser Building

the assembly room of maeser building in 1911

soon after death of karl g. maeser in 1901, plans begun erect fitting memorial great teacher. ten years later beautiful maeser memorial building completed. graceful structure first permanent building on upper campus, called temple hill.

designed classroom building, has served thousands of students. has not been function. while, spacious 175-seat assembly hall, occupying central portion of third , fourth floors, used college devotionals, , forty years served faculty meetings. briefly, in 1918, building housed unit of student army training corps.

in 1921 maeser building became first home of newly organized college of commerce , business administration which, next thirteen years, occupied of building, except part of first floor, purchasing department, under direction of kiefer b. sauls, housed.

in 1931 offices of university president , other administrators moved lower campus maeser building. 2 years later byu press began operation in south end of first floor, directly under president franklin s. harris s office. before moving out in 1947, press had occupied entire first floor. sixteen years administrative offices shared third floor campus telephone switchboard.

in 1950s maeser building assembly hall dismantled. partial floor built across second story, , historic hall chopped temporary offices alleviate growing pressure office space university population exploded following world war ii.

upon completion of abraham o. smoot building in 1961, administration moved out , archaeology , english departments moved in, former first floor , latter second , third. department of english stayed 2 years, history occupied northern half , political science southern. arrangement lasted next fourteen years, until french , italian department moved suites vacated history, , german department took left political science. between 1981 , 1983, anthropology-archaeology , 2 language departments left building.

with decision of administration , board of trustees restore maeser building original classical dignity, , make center university honors program, complete renovation carried out.

the honors program came being provide capable , motivated students enriched education. first quarter century of program s operation witnessed numerous administrative adjustments , curriculum changes in order fulfill karl g. maeser s vision of hill covered temples of learning. making maeser building home honors program appropriate tribute memory of karl g. maeser.