Sewell Auditorium

 (1929 - 1971)

Sewell Theatre

 (1971 - present)

Sewell Auditorium was constructed about three years before this 1932 photograph, courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

This building was named in honor of Jesse P. and Daisy McQuigg Sewell for their many years of devotion and untiring support of Abilene Christian. Jesse Sewell was the fourth president, serving from 1912 to 1924. He also was a member of the Board of Trustees for a period of time.  Daisy Sewell served as the first Dean of Women from 1912 to 1924.

Design and Construction

This building was designed by Nichol & Campbell.  The school served as general contractor, and W. N. Hollis was foreman of the job for $10 per day.  The building was erected at a cost of $49,674.

The exterior of the building changed with the replacement of the original double-hung white wood frame windows and two small additions, one on the north and one on the south side of the building.

The original interior had a wood floor, and the woodwork was stained walnut including doors, wall base and shoe, chair rail and picture molding.  The walls and ceiling were plastered and painted a light creme and light brown.  Originally the auditorium had 1,280 opera chairs.

Floor Plans

The auditorium contained:

• First Floor
• Lobby
• Restrooms
• Auditorium
• Stage
   
•  Basement under the lobby
• The Optimist office
• Prickly Pear office
   
• Basement under the stage
• 12 Fine arts studios and music practice rooms

In this photo, Sewell is still under construction (without windows or doors).  The grass and trees were painted on the photograph, circa 1929. Photo courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

In this back view of the auditorium, the baptistry window is to the left of the stage, circa 1930. Photo courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

This Homecoming Chapel service took place in the auditorium in 1933. Photo ourtesy of the Prickly Pear.

This view of the auditorium from the stage was what a Chapel speaker would see circa 1937. Photo courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

Students make their way to Chapel circa 1937-38. Photo courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

James F. Cox speaks to the Lectureship crowd in 1938. Photo courtesy of the Prickly Pear.

Basement Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

  
These floor plans are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. To view them, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.  These floor plans were created using photographs and physical examination of the building. The original architectural drawings do not exist.  If you can help improve them, visit the How You Can Help page.

1929

The building was completed by Sunday, October 6.  During the first part of the week of October 21-25, The Optimist staff moved into the new office under the lobby in the southwest corner.

The five-piece set of stage curtains donated by the Dramatic Club members were installed on Monday afternoon, November 18.  The dark colored curtains opened in the center and were bordered by three other curtains trimmed in gold.  The college emblem was hung in the center above the stage.

1934

In May, the acoustics in the auditorium were improved by stringing copper wires across the front of the auditorium.  According to The Optimist of May 17, 1934: "The wires, similar to miltiple [sic] radio antennae, are stretched and grounded so as to absorb most of the superfluous sound waves that have heretofore blurred every type of sound."

1935

In September, The Optimist office moved to Room 1 under the stage.  The old Optimist office became the band hall.

1937

Tuesday night, November 16, open flame gas heaters sitting on the floor in the auditorium were replaced by three fan-forced automatic gas heaters hanging from the ceiling.  The old heaters were moved to the parlor of McDonald Hall and Rooms 15 and 27 (now Rooms 207 and 314) in the Administration Building.

1938

On February 12 and 13, The Optimist office moved  to Room 2, formerly occupied by the ham radio broadcasters.

In March a new classroom with a capacity of ten students was added in the rear of the auditorium in an unknown location.  At that time it was used for Hebrew 372, taught by Charles H. Roberson.

On October 13, The Optimist office moved once more, this time to a room in the new utility building.  The old Optimist office became either a violin or piano studio.