Kitchin and Baldwin Halls, built in 1955 and 1958 respectively, will be no more this fall when they’re torn down to make way for the 110,000-square-foot student union, expected to open in 2019. In the spring, we asked former residents of the dorms to share their memories, and they didn’t disappoint. Pictured right is the first Kitchin Hall Men’s House Council in the 1956-57 school year. Below are some of our favorite memories:
Go Deep
I threw a football out front of Kitchin one afternoon and the pass never made it. It hit a power line, which wrapped around another power line and exploded. Two of the lines were now live and snapping on the ground, creating a small fire in the grass. One of them was snapping back and forth, which made a mark on this guy’s sports car.
Needless to say he was not happy, but first we had to deal with the authorities. The Buies Creek Fire Department, ambulance service and various volunteers had to assess the situation. As the firetruck screamed up the road for the one-block journey to the site of the grass fire, a crowd gathered. There were four or five authoritative Student Government Association folks taking charge until the authorities took over.
The fireman got off the back of the truck with full gear, including air tanks. They just sort of stood around until the power was cut. Meanwhile, the grass was burningslowly. This was irritating the owner of the sports car as the fire was creeping slowly towards his car.
The firemen had portable tanks of fluid, one fire hose hooked to a hydrant and various implements of destruction at the ready. Still, nothing was being done. So the owner, Randy, walked over and stomped the fire out with his foot. The fire department, ambulance and SGA folks all packed up and left.
A report was done before they left, and I explained to the best of my ability how I should have thrown a shorter pass instead of having the guy go out for a bomb.
It turns out that the electrical line only left smudge marks and did not damage the car. I got a summons to appear in Student Court, up for a charge of throwing a football in an undesignated area (seriously). It would have brought five points against me out of a 20-point system.
My friends dressed me in a T-shirt with a prison number on the back, a chain and one of those plastic bowling balls attached. When I made it to the second floor where court was being held, most of them were laughing so hard that I think it helped me get out of it. I received the five points for this dastardly charge with a prayer for judgement and it was removed after one semester.
As for the owner of the burning car, Randy and I turned out to be roommates, and to this day, 36 years later, friends. Honestly, if we couldn’t tear that dorm down in four years, I don’t know how they’re going to do it.
Lee McGraw (’85)
You can’t handle the truth
In 1984, Don Macari (whom “A Few Good Men” is about) was our residence director in Kitchin while he was attending Campbell Law.I think I hold the honorable distinction of the first to be “taken down” for “conduct unbecoming a Camel” when Don grilled us for breaking into the snack machine.
Vance Campbell (’90)
Baldwinners
I lived in Baldwin from 2002-2004 when I was a freshman and then an RA. Our intramural team was called the BaldWINNERS. I remember going all out for Homecoming both years, especially the “Walk like a Camel” year where we made giant hieroglyphic banners that said “Baldwin Rocks” and hung them from the third floor windows.
Jennifer Zema Pittman (’06)
The kitchen in Kitchin
I moved into Kitchin in January 2000 all the way from the Bahamas. Dorm life overflowed with great memories. We fully utilized the kitchen in Kitchin, and I remember my friends from the third floor gathering there to cook, especially on those cold winter nights. Most importantly, I met some of the best people in the world and some of my closest friends in Kitchin.
Nikki Bethell
Will you?
My now-husband Chuck Wade planned a surprise proposal party for me in the lobby of Kitchin in March 2003. He had a ton of my friends gather and wait while he walked me back to my dorm. I remember thinking it was odd that we kept looping the Academic Circle, but later I found out he was getting up his nerve.
Once we got inside, everyone threw open the glass doors and yelled “Congratulations!” I had no idea what was happening, but he was down on one knee behind me.
Andie Lucas Wade