Clara Hall

In 1925 the first of the Ford Buildings was completed - a women's dormitory for a hundred students. It was named for Mrs. Henry Ford, affectionately called "Callie" by her husband. Mr. Ford chose his own builders, who included several stonemasons from Italy. Several of these stonemasons, including Antonio Cescutti, Tony Colello, and Romano Pagura, remained in Rome, Georgia. Stones were handpicked from a quarry which was located off Martha Berry Boulevard (U. S. Highway 27). In all of these buildings all roofing is slate, the weathered spires are of copper, and all outside metal is copper or brass. Even the screen mesh in each window is made of copper. Features such as the rubber tile flooring of this building and others within the complex would be very difficult to replace. Even after many years of use, these floors remain in excellent condition. Maintenance of the Ford Buildings was under the direction of Clifton Dellinger from 1937 until his retirement in 1977. Clara Hall has a large living room used for relaxation and occasional dormitory meetings, open houses, and special parties. Many furnishings were made by students in woodwork classes or their instructors. Franklin Gottshall, an instructor in industrial arts during this period, made some of the desks in Clara and Mary Hall living rooms; Gottshall works are now prized antiques.

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