Looking Back... at Sutton Hall

Alumni who have visited the EWU campus over the past few years may have noticed that Sutton Hall is livelier than ever after several years of being vacant and in disrepair. Currently serving as the headquarters for Admissions, Registrar and Financial Aid offices at Eastern, the historic hall was once the first men's dormitory on campus.

Completed in 1923 for about $100,000, the building was built in response to President Showalter's conviction that there should be more men in the teaching field. As such, it became the first men's dormitory and was named after William J. Sutton, who had served as a member of the school's faculty, its principal, and had then gone on to become a Washington State Senator.

Sutton remained a men's dorm for 50 years - all the way into the early 1970s. In 1971, an Easterner article on dorm life summed up the condition of the building by noting that "For those who choose to live there, it is reputed to be enjoyable living as a 'Sutton Animal.' However, one puts up with an artistic array of pipes running through your room, loud people at all hours, as well as unscheduled surprises."

In 1972, the college's Veteran's Cooperative acquired the building to provide veterans (mostly from the Vietnam War) with low rent, no-hassle housing. A part of the hall was also used for a day care (or nursery school, as it was called at the time).

By the mid-1980s, Sutton Hall stood empty and was used only as storage until renovation began in 1994, and reopened with a smart new interior design in fall 1996.

Memories of Sutton Hall

"I really enjoyed the three years that I lived in Sutton Hall - I felt as if I was living among the elite at Eastern."

– Ronald L. Lot
Class of 1952

"My favorite memory is of my roommate "Abe" Poffenroth playing poker in our room and usually winning...... Also, the football trainee table was stationed at Sutton. I was House Manager in the summer of 1941."

– Earl F. Knuth
Class of 1941

"I was a resident of Sutton Hall from 1947-1951. My wife and I were dorm parents at Sutton from 1960-1963....There are memories of card games, chit chats after 10:15, Mrs. Berg - our lovely house mother, "beats," and even memories of studying for tests. There are memories of duck hunting in the wheat fields that are presently the soccer fields, and of swimming, bowling and dancing in Showalter Hall - which housed most of the academic classes."

– Pat Whitehill
Class of 1951

"I was fortunate to have the job as manager of Sutton Hall in 1938 and 1940. The job consisted of passing out sheets once a week and hacking those who had broken house rules every week."

– Jake Borck
Class of 1940

"First and foremost was our 'Mom and Dad' - Jae and Mrs. Hungate. Mrs. Hungate supervised the dining hall - wonderful food! We were truly one big family. We knew everyone by his first name, what town he was from, who his girlfriend was, etc. Many long-lasting friendships were formed there. I always say that half of my college education came from Sutton Hall. I'll never forget it!"

– Allen Hailey
Class of 1941