he venerable Hart and Walton Halls, erected in 1930 and 1931
respectively, were the culmination of an experimental design in
student living known as the "ramp system." They
were the last of their kind to be built on the campus of the
Agricultural and mechanical College of Texas. Ramp style
designs began as far back as 1911 when Legett and Milner halls had
separate entrances for each floor. The design evolved over
the years until it reached its most developed form in Hart and
Walton halls.
Hart and Walton were divided into a
series of vertical ramps instead of floors with central
hallways. The ramps separated two pairs of rooms connected
by shower and toilet facilities. According to the late
archivist and architect Ernest Langford '13, the advantages in
such a design were obvious—"small, intimate living units; noise and
confusion reduced to a minimum; a degree of privacy not possible
in the long, open hall plan."
In describing Hart Hall, the editors of the
1934 Longhorn (A&M's yearbook) wrote, "Many
people, when considering the value of a college education, think
only of facts and principles learned in classrooms and text books,
but prominent educators everywhere are now beginning to stress the
value of personal contacts, student activities, and life in the
dormitories. Hart Hall, a new and very modern dormitory, was
built as an experiment to promote these phases of education.
The plan was proved to ht such a success that Walton, the newest
dormitory on the campus, was constructed along the same general
plan as Hart. Today Hart is a beehive of activity and the
center of student life." In the following years, economic
reality would overpower the benefits of social engineering.
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Hart Hall was named for
Lawrence J. Hart (1862-1938), a prominent San Antonio businessman
and member of the Texas A&M Board of Regents
(1911-1925). Hart served as president of the board for six
years. F. E. Giesecke designed the ramp style dormitory and
A&M's Buildings and Utilities department constructed it for a
little over $210,000.00. Erected on the site of Old Assembly
Hall (Texas Aggie, November 1996) which was razed in 1929,
Hart is four stories tall with ten ramps (A through J). It
is U-shaped, with the corners of the "U" cut at a
forty-five degree angle. The exterior design of the building
is very simple. Ornamentation is limited to the ramp
entrances.
Walton Hall, constructed a year later at a cost
of $243,400.00, was named for A&M's beloved ninth and longest
serving president (1925-43), Thomas O. Walton (Texas Aggie,
January 1997). Here, says Langford; "the ramp system
came to full fruition and, unfortunately, to its end in dormitory
design." Walton is located just west of Sbisa Hall and
is similar in appearance to Hart, although the corners are square
and not beveled. Like Hart, it was designed by Giesecke and
built by Texas A&M's Buildings and Utilities. In its
original con-figuration it contained 176 rooms in eleven ramps
(A-K).
Although utilities have been added and upgraded
in both dormitories over the years, they remain much as they were
when they were first constructed. There is no central air
conditioning and steam radiators still provide heat in
winter. (Window air conditioning units are to be
installed in Walton Hall this fall). They have remained ever
popular with A&M students for their low price and convenient
locations. After 70 years, Hart and Walton Halls are still
providing the student life and living experiences envisioned by
their designers.
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