AfCMfVl PHOTO
Samson Friendly,
alter whom Friendly
Hall was named
Re-dedication
of Friendly Hall
honors support
by unique man
j Samson Friendly
revered for kindness
to campus, students
By Julie Swensen
Oegon D.i 'y l mofmki
For University students who
have difficulty paying their
tuition, the idea of a man who
would loan money — without
asking for interest or a written
promise of repayment — would
seem too good to be true. But
such n man did exist here, and
as a result of that man's generos
ity. Friendly Hall bears bis
name.
Samson Friendly would i all
struggling University students
into bis local store, ask how
mut h they owed, and would
write them checks for several
hundred dollars. He wasn’t
doing it for notoriety, nobody
except the University president
knew about bis philanthropy
until after be died.
"He was a unique individ
ual," said University Archivist
Keith Richard "He was not only
a supporter vocally, but through
Ins generosity in time, money
and effort — not only to the Uni
versity. but to the students."
Friendly, who is regarded ns
one of the greatest supporters
the University has ever had. will
tie remembered Friday with a re
dedication ceremony commem
orating the 100th anniversary of
Friendly Hall The building,
whit h was built in 1H93 and
originally served ns a coed dor
mitory. later was named after
him because of bis dedication to
the University and his rapport
with the students.
Samson Friendly moved to
Fugene from Now York in lHb-l
and became a local merchant.
Back then, Eugene was a small
town with kerosene lamps on
the street, few buildings, and no
banks or newspapers. The only
route to San Francisco was by
stagecoach over the mountains,
and a trip to Portland took three
days, according to historical
documents from the University
Collide of Art*, nmi Scienies
During this |wriod. .1 fundrais
ing campaign was launi hud to
slarl a state university in
Eugene Friendly became a key
figure in the effort and helped in
raising funds to build Dcady
Mall, the University’s first build
ing.
Friendly was elected to the
City Count il twice, served two
terms ns mayor and was the
president of the Eugene Board of
Trade. In 1895. lie became a
member of tile University Board
of Regents, on which he served
for 20 years.
Friendly was well-liked by
students and faculty. Me would
join in any celebration at the
University, and sometimes was
hoisted by students who would
i bant "We want Sam Friendly1'’
Instead of a traditional suit and
tie, he would wear the school
i olors to rallies and sporting
events, and would faithfully
attend dedications of new build
ings.
After he died in 1915 at the
age of 75. The Guard wrote in a
tribute. "The University was an
element in his daily life Me
loved it as one of Ins family: his
struggles and sacrifices for it
have been those of a man for his
son."
The Oregon Kmerald. which
referred to Friendly as a "best
friend.” wrote, "It is proper that
his memory should live on the
campus of the University he so
loyally served " Soon afterward,
students petitioned the Univer
sity to have the dormitory
named after Friendly, and in
1910. Friendly Mall was dedicat
ed.
The dormitory, which was
coed from 1893 to 1895, later
was changed to an all-men s
dormitory, and housed nliout 75
men in the mid-1920‘s, accord
ing to a letter written by Her
schel | Brown, 0 Friendly Mall
resident and a 1926 University
graduate.
Residents of Friendly Mall had
the finest dining room at the
University, and at times even
ARCHIVE PHOTO
To commemorate Friendly Hell's centennial celebration, the College of Arts and Sciences commissioned
an original dry-point etching of the building by award-winning Eugene artist Janl Hoberg. Only 75 of the 11
by-15 Inch prints are available. Prints can be purchased for $200 at the College of Arts and Sciences.
archive photo
Friendly Hall residents often passed the time by playing the piano and
reading books. The building, which originally was a coed dormitory lor
two years, was an all-men's dormitory from 1895 to 1928.
the governor attended dinner
there. The students spent most
of their time studying, as there
were few distractions.
"There were no radios or TVs
— only a hand-cranked Victro
la." Brown wrote.
However, the residents did
find time for pranks, as they
would fill a paper hag with
water and drop it on students
going through the front door.
Freshmen also were paddled,
and wore made to sit either on a
cake of ice or a seat wired for
electricity. Back then, going to
the Eugene Millrace was a dat
ing pastime, as was going to the
cemetery, where the thing to do
was "park your gal on a tomb
stone,” which was called "pig
ging," he wrote.
Friendly Hall was a dormitory
until 1928, when Straub Hall
became the new men’s residence
hall. Interestingly, the dormitory
that later would bear Friendly’s
name angered then-University
President John Wesley Johnson.
President Johnson, who said
that dormitories shouldn't be on
campus and that he "didn't
want to babysit," resigned from
the presidency and began teach
ing Latin instead, said Cindy
Guy. assistant director of the
College of Arts and Sciences
Samson Friendly's grandson
Fred Friendly — a former presi
dent of CBS who is one of the
best-known American broad
casters — will be the guest
‘He was a unique
individual. He was
not only a
supporter vocally,
but through his
generosity in time,
money and effort —
not only to the
University, but to
the students.’
Keith Richard,
University archivist
speaker ut the celebration,
which will take place Friday at 3
p.m. in front of Friendly Hall,
with a historic campus tour to
follow ut 4:30 p.m. Fred Friend
ly teamed with Edward R Mur
row to start the groundbreaking
television news program "See It
Now" in 1951
Besides Fred Friendly’s
keynote address, the ceremony
will feature the creation of a
"memory vault." which will be
placed inside the wall in the
hallway by the south entrance of
the building, near the Samson
Friendly dedication plaque,
Richard said.
The vault, which won’t be
opened until 2093, will Ins Tilled
with such items as news from
University sports and student
organizations, information about
AIDS, and what life on campus
is like today, Guy said.