Fourth in a series highlighting DePaul’s campus and how it has changed through the years.
The College Theater has one of the most interesting histories of any DePaul University building. It was built in 1907 by the architect John Pridmore and was located at 2219 N. Sheffield, where the Ray Meyer Fitness Center now stands. The Theater was beautifully designed; it followed the Grecian style, with a large dome and no pillars to obstruct anyone’s view of the stage. The walls were painted with ornate murals. The Vincentians received criticism for hosting plays in the theater, as some people felt that priests should not be involved in such worldly activities. However, the Vincentians believed that they could edify the student body and Chicago citizens by hosting plays “devoted to the highest and best drama” (free, of course, from “murder, suicide, and kissing.”). The Vincentians also had another hope. At the time, the University was suffering under $500,000 in debt, and they believed that ticket sales from a popular theater could help pay it off.
The Theater did not prove as successful as the Vincentians had hoped, and with the advent of World War I the building was turned into barracks for the Student Army Training Corps. After the end of the war, the Theater was remodeled into a gymnasium, called the University Auditorium (or,“The Barn”). The Blue Demon basketball team played here from 1920 to 1957, and Ray Meyer coached the team to numerous victories from inside those walls. However, as the team got more successful, the Auditorium became too small and Alumni Hall was built as a larger venue for the basketball team. Throughout its history, the College Theater served as a venue for student activities such as dances, commencement exercises, lectures, debates and assemblies. Unfortunately, “The Barn” caught fire in 1967 and was torn down in 1976.
