Airy Barker Center Replaces Union

The antler chandelier remains. It now hangs in a light and airy central stair hall which is decorated in white and green. Like the huge oil painting of the building's original donor that hangs in the same space, it serves as a reminder of what the Freshman Union was, not what the Barker Center is.

"The stern gaze of the portrait of Major Higginson, who build the Union in 1901, used just to survey feeding freshmen," wrote Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) Jeremy R. Knowles in a fax yesterday. "Now, he should cheer up, as he looks down at the central areas of the Barker Center, bustling with Faculty and students talking, working, teaching and being taught."

"The generosity of the Barkers and of many others has transformed the Union and Burr Hall and Warren House into stunningly seductive and functional spaces that will enrich and revivify the humanities at Harvard," Knowles wrote.

The Barker Center, which now houses 12 different humanities departments and centers, will be dedicated this Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. Robert Barker, the donor, is expected to attend.

The residents are now enjoying the dozens of seminar rooms, departmental lounges and scores of new offices, all with touches of the turn-of-the-century construction, be it a hefty wooden truss in the Germanic Language and Literature Department reception area or an original table in the Afro-American Studies library.

"Anything that was original or early we had renovated," says Elizabeth L. Randall, the Barker Center project manager and a Capital Projects Manager for FAS. "One of the things I love is meeting all of the artisans."

The restoration of the booming grandfather clock required two artisans-one for the internal works and one for the external clock.

When it came time to repair the wood casing, Randall says she received a call from the artisan who was unaware of the old Harvard tradition of flinging butter onto the "Great Hall" ceiling.

"'I don't understand; there are all these little 2 by 2 squares [of uneven color],'" Randall says the artisan asked. "I was like, 'Yeah, butter pats."

Two plaster casts of the ceiling, minus the butter, hang on the second floor walls. Beside them are cases that once housed collections, including one of collegiate baseball paraphenalia.

The cases, which will be used for exhibits about the building and its occupants, were cut down in size, necessitating smaller displays. The reduction was practical in nature as well.

"As it was, we had to hire death-wish piano movers to get it up the stairs," Randall says, who credits the baseball team's success to its proximity to the baseball collection now housed in Coach Joe Walsh's office.

'Great Hall' Changes

The space that once echoed with the clash of silverware and first-year conversations is now divided into four distinct areas.

The east side of the room has become a lushly carpeted seminar room, with a specially-made wooden table that seats more than 20 comfortably.

The west side of the room is now a lounge area that can be used for readings and other events. The lounge, which Randall says was intended to be comfortable without encouraging undergraduates to stretch out on the couches, can be arranged in a number of formations.

"We didn't want it to look like an old boys club," Randall explains, noting that the color scheme and carpeting cannot be "typed."

The statue of the veiled Kronos and the clock sit in the room, as do some of the massive oil paintings that dominated the walls. A new addition is a portrait of Helen Keller that once hung in University Hall.

The massive stone fireplaces that sat on either side of the dining area have been incoporated into the two smaller rooms. They are both still operable, though cleaner than orginally planned due to damage to the stone.

The busts of John Harvard and George Washington remain on their respective mantles, and the two continue to stare out at each other.

The center of the room has become an airy staircase, and the southern light once absorbed by dark panelling reflects brightly off polished floors.

The still-recognizable Rotunda, once packed with large, round tables, is now a more intimate cafe run by C'est Bon.

Randall says that thus far, the comment cards have been largely positive, although Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr., chair of the Afro-American Studies Department, has requested that the cafe serve ribs.JOHN F. COYLE and MELISSA K. CROCKERSeminar rooms scattered throughout the building provide ideal space for small classes in each department.

The residents are now enjoying the dozens of seminar rooms, departmental lounges and scores of new offices, all with touches of the turn-of-the-century construction, be it a hefty wooden truss in the Germanic Language and Literature Department reception area or an original table in the Afro-American Studies library.

"Anything that was original or early we had renovated," says Elizabeth L. Randall, the Barker Center project manager and a Capital Projects Manager for FAS. "One of the things I love is meeting all of the artisans."

The restoration of the booming grandfather clock required two artisans-one for the internal works and one for the external clock.

When it came time to repair the wood casing, Randall says she received a call from the artisan who was unaware of the old Harvard tradition of flinging butter onto the "Great Hall" ceiling.

"'I don't understand; there are all these little 2 by 2 squares [of uneven color],'" Randall says the artisan asked. "I was like, 'Yeah, butter pats."

Two plaster casts of the ceiling, minus the butter, hang on the second floor walls. Beside them are cases that once housed collections, including one of collegiate baseball paraphenalia.

The cases, which will be used for exhibits about the building and its occupants, were cut down in size, necessitating smaller displays. The reduction was practical in nature as well.

"As it was, we had to hire death-wish piano movers to get it up the stairs," Randall says, who credits the baseball team's success to its proximity to the baseball collection now housed in Coach Joe Walsh's office.

'Great Hall' Changes

The space that once echoed with the clash of silverware and first-year conversations is now divided into four distinct areas.

The east side of the room has become a lushly carpeted seminar room, with a specially-made wooden table that seats more than 20 comfortably.

The west side of the room is now a lounge area that can be used for readings and other events. The lounge, which Randall says was intended to be comfortable without encouraging undergraduates to stretch out on the couches, can be arranged in a number of formations.

"We didn't want it to look like an old boys club," Randall explains, noting that the color scheme and carpeting cannot be "typed."

The statue of the veiled Kronos and the clock sit in the room, as do some of the massive oil paintings that dominated the walls. A new addition is a portrait of Helen Keller that once hung in University Hall.

The massive stone fireplaces that sat on either side of the dining area have been incoporated into the two smaller rooms. They are both still operable, though cleaner than orginally planned due to damage to the stone.

The busts of John Harvard and George Washington remain on their respective mantles, and the two continue to stare out at each other.

The center of the room has become an airy staircase, and the southern light once absorbed by dark panelling reflects brightly off polished floors.

The still-recognizable Rotunda, once packed with large, round tables, is now a more intimate cafe run by C'est Bon.

Randall says that thus far, the comment cards have been largely positive, although Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr., chair of the Afro-American Studies Department, has requested that the cafe serve ribs.JOHN F. COYLE and MELISSA K. CROCKERSeminar rooms scattered throughout the building provide ideal space for small classes in each department.