Beardshear Hall has been the center for Iowa State’s administration since 1906, but was known as the Central Building until 1938, when it took on the name it bears today.

The prominent building was named for Rev. William Miller Beardshear, the fifth president of Iowa State College, in recognition of the many contributions he made to the college education system in Iowa and specifically to ISU.

“The History of Iowa State College” by D.R. Ross gives a vivid description of the life of Beardshear.

Beardshear started his decorated life when he enlisted in the Union Army at the young age of 14.

Upon returning from the Civil War, he attended Oberbein University to prepare for a life of ministry. Later, he attended the Yale Divinity School, where he created a name for himself as a dedicated and hardworking young man.

He dedicated his service to the Ministry of the United Brethern Church. With his notable reputation as a strong-willed leader and humanitarian, he was called to be president of Western College at Toledo, Iowa, in 1881.

During his time at Western College, he was successful in getting a millage tax passed throughout the state of Iowa, according to “History of Buildings of ISC.” The tax money funded most of the buildings constructed at Iowa State and the University of Iowa.

On Feb. 1, 1891, Beardshear was appointed president of Iowa State College.

Beardshear is most noted for being the man who brought Iowa State College into the 20th Century through his dedication and ability to organize Iowa State’s faculty and courses.

He took over after President Chamberlain, who had lost the control and respect of many students and faculty, mainly over the existence of greek letter societies on campus.

“History of Iowa State College” described Beardshear: “Behind his rugged simplicity was evidence of determination and latent power which gave assurance that the college had a leader with whom it could go forward.”

When Beardshear became president he issued the statement, “All members of college secret fraternities belonging at this date shall have the same relations as hitherto authorized by the Board of Trustees, but from this date onward no other student of this college shall be permitted to join a secret college fraternity.”

Ultimately, Beardshear prevented the expansion of all fraternities and sororities on the ISU campus for the sake of relieving stress and animosity of the student body toward such secret groups.

As described in “Sing to the Royal Purple,” a history of Delta Tau Delta, in the summer of 1892 a secretly initiated member of Delta Tau Delta was expelled from the university for violating Beardshear’s rule.

The issue went to court and under the proficient guidance of Beardshear, the issue was eventually settled with the fraternity agreeing to close its doors.

During this ban, many secret organizations were established that later became chapters still found on campus today. But the ban was lifted by President Albert Storms who followed Beardshear after his death on campus on Aug. 5, 1902.

Beardshear Hall was built to represent the entire campus. At a cost of $380,000, it was erected on the same location as Old Main, which was destroyed by fire six years earlier, according to the “History of the Buildings at ISC.”

Old Main was originally the main building on campus, where students lived, ate and socialized.

Beardshear Hall was built larger than Old Main and fireproofed with hopes of it lasting through the centuries. It was built to represent the entire campus.

The unique domed roof, marble-like columns in the entry way, and elaborate decaling were extraordinary engineering accomplishments when the building was originally designed and built.

According to “Campus Sketches of Iowa State College” by Verma Wallace, former ISU President Welch planned the landscaping of campus from the steps of Beardshear. Standing there, he tossed potatoes out onto campus and ordered that trees be planted where the potatoes landed.

The building has had a long history of being the center of much controversy on campus, either by being the issue debated or more often by being the location in which students and faculty raise their voices to be heard.

Volume 115, issue 46 of the Iowa State Daily said, “The campus building that represents long lines and bureaucratic red tape to most students received a gift Wednesday night in the form of a ceramic throne,” a toilet placed on the front steps of Beard-shear on Halloween night, with a sign that read “Here’s your chance seniors. Go for it!”

Like many of the other buildings and landmarks on campus, Beard-shear Hall has it’s share of superstition. Supposedly, if two people drink at the same time from the fountain in Beardshear’s lobby, a gift from the class of 1905 that was built in 1907, they will remain friends forever.