By Mike Greife,
March 14, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – With a focus on the future of the arts at the University of Central
Missouri, the university will host A Day A Giving for the Arts March 29. The event
will offer an opportunity for alumni and friends of the arts at UCM to be part of
an exciting future for Hendricks Hall, UCM’s historic performance venue. Funds raised
though the campaign will be directed toward the ongoing improvement of the 1,400-seat
auditorium.
A Day of Giving for the Arts will be initiated on March 29 with the performance by
UCM’s music students and faculty at the annual President’s Gala in Helzberg Hall at
the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. The 24-hour period beginning
with the March 29 gala has been designated an opportunity for the many supporters
of the arts at UCM to come forward with support for continuing the renovation project.
“The opportunity to preserve and improve a grand facility such as Hendricks Hall,
which holds rich memories for thousands of alumni, community members and friends,
is one to be embraced,” said Gersham Nelson, dean of the UCM College of Arts, Humanities,
and Social Sciences. “The message we have received so far is overwhelmingly in support
of our effort to preserve this historic facility.”
Donations to A Day of Giving for the Arts may be made through the UCM Alumni Foundation.
By accessing the website ucm-foundation.everydayhero.do, individual donations may
be made, or fundraising teams may be formed for greater impact. The goal of the campaign
is to receive a response from 3,000 donors. Individuals may call in pledges or contribution
during the 24-hour Day of Giving to 660-543-4179, email a commitment to giving@ucmo.edu,
or mail a contribution to Day of Giving for the Arts, Smiser Alumni Center, UCM, Warrensburg
Mo. 64093.
The first stages of the renovation of Hendricks Hall have been completed. New stage
curtains have been hung, and a new lighting system has been installed. The next phase
of the renovation will involve restoration of the ceiling of Hendricks Hall to its
original grandeur, extending the stage apron to accommodate large ensembles and the
orchestra, and installation of state-of-the-art sound and projection systems.
“At some point several decades ago an acoustic tile ceiling was installed,” Nelson
explained. “The ornate original moldings, cornices and medallions are still there,
but they need to be restored. With materials now available, that can be accomplished
while preserving, and even improving, the acoustical qualities of the auditorium.”
Dedicated in October 1923, Hendricks Hall was built with an appropriation of $150,000
from the Missouri State Legislature. Designed by architect Samuel Hitt and built by
Marxer Construction Company of Des Moines, Iowa, the then state-of-the art auditorium
featured ornate moldings and cornices surrounding windows and the large proscenium
stage. These architectural features remain a part of the auditorium today.
In 1933 the Central Missouri State Teachers College Board of Regents approved the
naming of the auditorium in honor of Eldo L. Hendricks, who served as college president
from 1915 to 1937. Throughout the generations, the facility has served as a venue
for musical and theatrical productions, along with the convocations and guest speakers
who have visited the campus. Hendricks Hall also has served, and continues to serve,
the cultural and educational needs of the surrounding community since its construction.
