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West Wind, 1941 – present<\/h2>\n
![\"hook_039_mod\"](\"http:\/\/staging.pinemountainsettlement.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/hook_039_mod1.jpg\" "\\"West")
<\/a>West Wind. Under construction, 1941. Architect: Mary Rockwell Hook. [hook_039_mod.jpg]<\/p><\/div>Mary Rockwell Hook<\/a>, architect for Pine Mountain Settlement School wrote in 1940, to Board member, Mrs. Gratz<\/a> about plans for a new dormitory on the former site of Pole House. She said of the west facing view<\/p>\n “The site is by far the most gorgeous one we have. We really should add a top floor for guests. No guest would ever forget that spot. The Design of the house has got to fit the hilltop, conform with the past and bow to the future and be very inexpensive, without looking ‘Sears and Roebuck.’ This all presents quite a problem.”<\/em><\/p>\n Construction on what was to be called “West Wind” began in 1941. The new dormitory was constructed late in the building scheme of the boarding school according to notes and plans drawn up by the School’s architect Mary Rockwell Hook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Conceived several years in advance of its construction date, the building was expected to reduce the increasing load on dormitory space and provide more adequate housing for girls on campus. It was also designed to include additional facilities, such as a laundry and kitchen, to serve the occupants of the building on site. The added service facilities were expected to ease pressure on the central laundry and kitchen at Laurel House<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mary Rockwell Hook in planning for the new building wrote to Mrs. Gratz, president of the Board of Trustees on August 4, 1940, and at the time and said<\/p>\n My impression was that we were urged to press ahead in order to house the girls who were burned out [1939 Laurel House fire that destroyed quarters for many girls]. In looking for foundation for this impression, I find, in Mrs. Elsmith’s report the following: Although the Board made no commitment in writing, it seemed the sense coming to us at this critical time funds, free to use for building purpose as expressed by the legatees, some $65,000 might be so delegated, if necessary. This would place approximately a hundred thousand dollars into the endowment fund.<\/em><\/p>\n It was, I believe, the further sense of the meeting that $5000 of this might be alloted to necessary repairs and improvements. Those have been itemized above, including the Doctor’s house for which the Executive Committee authorized up to $15000, would, it is estimated, come within this amount.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n It is hoped and estimated that Laurel House can be built, exclusive of equipment, for $35,000, and the Girl’s House (West Wind), for $15,000. This leaves a leeway of $10,000. Funds that are coming in are being set aside for a special furnishing fund. It is hoped that the friends of the school will want to give individual items.<\/em><\/p>\n If the Executive Committee does now wish to give us authorization to go ahead, in writing, I would like to have a little further instruction from them.<\/em><\/p>\n As I wrote you, Mr. Terney (Hook’s associate architect) and I have designed a house, incorporating as nearly as possible the requirements given us.<\/em><\/p>\n This can be as nearly fireproof as possible, throughout, or it can have a ground floor of stone, with concrete slab over the entire first floor (2nd-floor work) or it can be built entirely of wood.<\/em><\/p>\n I would like to know the feeling of the Exec. Committee on the matter of materials and of fireproofing. Or, if the most important thing to consider is to keep within the $15,000.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Then there is the matter of beauty and that sometimes costs a little more.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The site is by far the most gorgeous one we have. ….<\/em><\/p>\n Pole House, building removed to build West Wind. Mariam Kingman and Angela Melville. [kingman_056a.jpg]<\/p><\/div>\n Construction began in 1941 on the same site as Pole\u00a0House<\/a>, which was removed due to its deteriorated condition and limited usefulness as a rustic guest house. The new building was completed and dedicated in June 1942. At its completion West Wind and its equipment were valued at $31,763.00, making it one of the most expensive buildings on the School grounds.<\/p>\n In its original configuration, It was a three-story frame building with a flat roof. The ground floor was of stone and the upper two stories were framed wood construction. Typical of the time, the coal room and the furnace rooms were concrete vaults to accommodate the coal furnace. Just a few short years after construction, the roof of the building proved to be unsatisfactory due to leaks and maintenance and, like that of Draper Industrial Building<\/a>, the roof was removed and a gabled roof was installed on the building.<\/p>\n