South Hall with Archway

Document Type Photograph

Abstract

Black and white detailed photograph of the front of South Hall located at 1 Young Orchard Avenue on the East Side of Providence, RI. Built around 1850, the building was initially the home of Byron Sprague, son of wealthy Rhode Island manufacturer Amasa Sprague. In 1873 the mansion was purchased by I. Gifford Ladd and the exterior was remodeled in French Renaissance style. The building later housed the Hope Hospital until it was purchased by the newly named Bryant College of Business Administration on August 1, 1935. The building was renamed South Hall. The archway at the front entrance of the building became a ceremonial tradition in subsequent years as graduates processed through it during Class Day exercises. In 1969 the building was acquired by Brown University as a result of the impending move of Bryant College to the new Smithfield campus. Having become a beloved symbol to Bryant, the archway was moved from South Hall to the new Tupper Campus in Smithfield, RI in the early 1970's. The archway was cemented into the campus walkway between the administration building and the Bryant Center. Graduates of the new campus continued to process through it at Commencement and tradition expanded to superstition as it was deemed "bad luck" to pass under the archway until one's graduation day.