Benjamin Ide Wheeler Hall aka Wheeler Hall here at the UC Berkeley Campus. Last year, I was amongst many new incoming students who attended a welcome reception by the Vice Chancellor Henry LeGrande. There were lots of incoming students and lots of overflow. I was among the lucky ones who got a front row seat to hear welcome speeches and testimonials from graduating students who came in as freshmen, transfers, and veterans. Hearing about their experiences at UC Berkeley gave me hope that I made the correct decision to apply to be a student.
This past spring semester I audited a class presided over by one Professor Robert Reich in its auditorium. (He advised us to call him "Bob.") The American Cultures class offered in the spring, Public Policy C103 Wealth and Poverty. I am quite sure many of you have heard of the Robert Reich. Reich was the Secretary of Labor during the William Jefferson Clinton aka Bill as in the forty-second (42nd) President of the United States era. There was an overflow of students--officially enrolled students, wait listed students, and auditors. Reich designated the seats for officially enrolled students and as the weeks went on, auditors were allowed to have a seat. I really enjoyed sitting off the main stage and at the floor below the stage during those times. Before a lecture, Bob himself encouraged me to sit in a seat and it was okay for this auditor to sit in a comfortable seat. Prof. Reich is quite popular here in Bear Territory. I made a mad dash after a class on Fridays at noon time to get a good seat to hear Bob Reich lecture on the topic for that Friday. Yes, it was well worth that rush to be on time, Cal Time that is.
My notes here. I will concur the temperature and ventilation leave much to be desired. Could use some improvement in this 97 years young auditorium and building. It has its own microclimate. I would wear tanks and shorts to keep cool and comfortable in order to pay attention to Bob's lectures. The acoustics outside the auditorium really leave much to be desired. Right before the start of lecture, Bob Reich would chide the students to either keep quiet and/or keep their voices down while waiting for their turn to enter Wheeler Auditorium as there have been many complaints about their noise from the lecturer and their class before Reich's.
Wheeler Hall's auditorium is versatile and utilized for class lectures, guest speaker lectures, and welcome receptions for new Cal students, cinema screenings and other types of events including Cal Performances.
Wheeler Hall is named after Benjamin Ide Wheeler who served as President of Cal for 20 years from 1899 to 1919. Here is more information on President Wheeler from the Bancroft Library's page on Wheeler: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/CalHistory/brief-history.2.html. Half of the page is about Wheeler's presidency. Wheeler Hall came into existence in the year 1917. I wonder how Wheeler himself felt about the honor before he forced to leave his position. Much of his influence still exists here at Berkeley in present real time. read more