Lyle Memorial dormitory, named for Duncan Campbell “Old Man” Lyle, was under construction in 1928 at the same time as Allan Building (see story No. 77). Little changed in the building’s first four decades as a dormitory. Former Director of Facilities Steve Simmers ‘70 recalled that the basement was outfitted with lockers and shower rooms, a recreation room with a ping pong table, a pool table, and space for board games. The first floor had a student lounge and a faculty apartment in each corner. The second and third floors featured dormitories in each corner with a central wash and shower room. At the head of each stairwell, there were two single-room faculty apartments. In a 2016 interview, Simmers said, “The second and third floors were all dorm rooms crammed full of cadets. The cavalry had a separate dorm wing and our own locker room because we used to get up earlier than everyone else and go to the barn.”
From the outside Lyle Building looks much the same as it did when it opened in 1929. On the inside, however, it has been transformed more than once. The Facilities Department, Tuttle Gallery, and the Middle School library have all taken up residence in Lyle Building. Today, the main floor houses the Admission office, the second floor is home to the Wilson | Young Archives and Special Collections (see story No. 73), and the Office of Marketing and Communications is located on the third floor.
