Holmes Hall at Michigan State University: A Legacy of Education and Innovation

Michigan State University (MSU), established in 1855, has grown from a small agricultural college with just three buildings into a sprawling campus encompassing 5,200 acres and 566 buildings. Among these structures, Holmes Hall stands as a significant landmark, named after a pivotal figure in the university's history, John Clough Holmes. This article delves into the history of Holmes Hall, exploring its namesake's contributions to MSU and the hall's role as a center for science education.

John C. Holmes: The Architect of Michigan State University

John Clough Holmes (1809-1887) is widely regarded as the driving force behind the establishment of the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, now known as Michigan State University. Born in Massachusetts, Holmes moved to Michigan in 1835 and initially worked in a Detroit merchant store. His career took a turn when he married the store owner's daughter and became a partner in the family business.

Holmes's involvement in agriculture and education grew as he served as president of the Detroit Horticultural Society in 1847 and as a member of the Board of Education of Detroit for the following two years. These experiences led him to co-found the Michigan State Agricultural Society in 1849.

The Michigan State Agricultural Society was formed in response to the state legislature's call to promote agricultural improvement and related arts in Michigan. The society immediately set its sights on establishing an agricultural college in the state, and Holmes became the college's most ardent advocate, serving as its secretary from 1849 to 1857.

Holmes drafted a legislative bill to create the college in collaboration with his fellow society members. After five years of building consensus and gathering petition signatures from across the state, Holmes traveled to Lansing at his own expense in January 1855 to lobby for the bill during the winter legislative session.

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Over the next four weeks, Holmes skillfully guided the bill through both houses of the legislature, securing support, protecting its essential components, and defending it from opposition from University of Michigan president Henry Tappan, who sought to incorporate the agricultural program into his institution. Ultimately, Governor Kinsley S. Bingham signed Act 130 on February 12, 1855, officially establishing the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan.

Site Selection and Building Design

With the college's establishment secured, Holmes's work was far from over. Act 130 placed the Agricultural Society in charge of selecting the site for the new institution. In June 1855, Holmes and the society's executive committee visited nine potential sites, including locations near Holt, Millett, DeWitt, and Haslett.

Due to the low offering price of $15 per acre, all of the sites consisted of uncleared land, many of which were unsuitable for a campus. However, Holmes identified a promising 677-acre farm owned by A. R. Burr, located three miles east of the Capitol. He proposed purchasing the Burr farm, and the State Board of Education approved the site purchase in July 1855.

Months later, the Board of Education struggled to make progress in determining the college's basic requirements, including the necessary buildings. They turned to Holmes, who had been surveying the site. After careful consideration, Holmes recommended that the school needed two main buildings: a combination classroom and office building, and a dormitory.

John C. Holmes is credited with designing both College Hall and the original dormitory, which is now known as Saints' Rest. The buildings were constructed, along with a brick horse barn, and the first classes began in May 1857.

Treasurer and Superintendent of Horticulture

As the college commenced operations, Holmes was appointed its treasurer. He also served as the school's first Superintendent of Horticulture, responsible for campus planning and planting. This title was used interchangeably with Professor for a short period.

However, Holmes's tenure at the college was not without its challenges. On February 5, 1858, the Horticulture Professorship was suspended to free up funds for a Professor of English Literature. Then, on March 7, 1859, Holmes was asked to resign as treasurer, and he complied.

Later, Holmes was reappointed as Superintendent of Horticulture, where he supervised students in planting the college gardens and improving the grounds. However, after 1861, his involvement with the college ceased.

Departure and Legacy

In 1861, a major reorganization of the college transferred control from the Board of Education to the newly formed Board of Agriculture. Despite the urging of his colleagues and the college's "unquestioned spiritual debt" to him, Holmes was not retained.

Holmes returned to the Detroit area, where he lived for another twenty-six years and remained active in his community. Although he remained a "not infrequent and always welcome visitor" to the college, he never held an official position there again.

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Despite his departure, Holmes's contributions to Michigan State University were immense. As President Abbot wrote in 1883, "To no one man is the College so much indebted as John Clough Holmes." His vision, dedication, and tireless efforts laid the foundation for the institution's success.

Holmes Hall: A Modern Landmark

In 1965, Michigan State University honored John C. Holmes by naming a new six-story modernist residence hall after him. Holmes Hall is located in East Neighborhood and is home to Lyman Briggs College (LBC), one of MSU's three degree-granting residential colleges.

Lyman Briggs College is a community of students pursuing degrees in science-focused areas of study, including biology, chemistry, physics, math, writing, research, and the history, philosophy, and sociology of science. The LBC curriculum is designed to prepare students to address local and global issues, with multidisciplinary courses that emphasize scientific reasoning, evidence, and knowledge.

Holmes Hall houses classrooms, labs, and faculty offices in the basement and on the first floor. The building also provides suite-style rooms for student residents, with two students sharing a bathroom with the two residents next door.

Features and Amenities

Holmes Hall offers a variety of features and amenities to enhance the living and learning experience for its residents, including:

Makerspace: A collaborative workspace where students can design, create, and prototype projects.
Fitness Room: A convenient on-site fitness center for students to maintain their physical health.
Music Practice Room: A dedicated space for students to practice musical instruments.
Student Organization Meeting Rooms: Rooms for student organizations to hold meetings and events.
Study Lounges: Comfortable and quiet areas for students to study and collaborate.
Laundry Facilities: Convenient laundry facilities for residents.

Dining Options

Holmes Hall also offers several dining options for students, including:

Sparty's Market: A convenience store offering house-made entrees, soups, salads, sandwiches, grab-and-go meals, and convenience items.
The Edge at Akers Dining Hall: An all-you-care-to-eat dining hall located across Shaw Lane.
Thrive at Owen Hall: An all-you-care-to-eat dining hall offering meals free of the Major 9 allergens plus gluten.

Paranormal Legends

Adding to the mystique of Holmes Hall are stories of paranormal activity. The sixth floor of Holmes Hall is rumored to be haunted. Some claim to have seen a shadowy figure entering the elevator on the sixth floor, only for the doors to reopen immediately to reveal an empty elevator. There are also tales of two figures waiting for a sixth-floor elevator around 3 a.m., entering the elevator, and then the elevator being found empty when checked. Other reported phenomena include appliances and lights turning on and off mysteriously, shadowy figures walking through rooms at night, and doors and windows flying open and slamming shut. Whether these stories are mere legends or based on real occurrences, they contribute to the unique character of Holmes Hall.

Lyman Briggs College: A Hub for Science Education

Lyman Briggs College, housed in Holmes Hall, has played a significant role in science education at Michigan State University since its founding in 1967. The college was established to provide a residential college experience for students interested in science, with a focus on the role of science in society.

LBC offers a unique learning environment with smaller classes, a close-knit community, and opportunities for faculty to use innovative teaching methods. The college also emphasizes written and spoken communication skills in all courses.

Innovative Curriculum

Lyman Briggs College has been at the forefront of curricular innovation, with several notable developments:

Computer programming courses were offered and computers were integrated into math courses in the 1960s.
Introductory biology courses were developed that did not require students to know the principles of organic chemistry.
Initial biology lectures were recorded and shared in lecture, with recitation and laboratory facilitated by graduate teaching assistants.
Chemistry and physics were taught sequentially to avoid topical repetition.
Majors were eventually coordinated across the university to allow students to have foundational science courses in Lyman Briggs before focusing on "fields of concentration."
An introductory writing course, "Third Culture Rhetoric," was created to bridge the cultural divide between the sciences and the humanities.

Student Involvement

Student involvement has always been an important part of Lyman Briggs College. Early in the college's first year, a Student Advisory Committee was formed to represent student concerns to faculty and administration. In 1970, three LBC students presented "An Undergraduate View of Science Education" at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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