Interior of Constance Hall photograph, 1931

Interior of Constance Hall photograph, 1931

Now home to the music department, Constance Hall opened in 1931 as the first women’s dormitory at Bradley Polytechnic Institute. The dorm was named in memory of Jennie Constance, head of the English department and an advocate for on-campus housing for Bradley’s female students.

Professor Constance was 42 and working on her doctorate at Northwestern University during the summer of 1928 when she was murdered in Evanston, Illinois. Jennie Constance was a club woman and to honor her, Peoria’s various women's clubs led the fundraising effort to build a dormitory for women.

Professor Constance’s desire for such a building was known to her colleagues and students who also contributed funds. One student donor wrote to Bradley News in 1929 explaining that she did not “think there could be any more fitting Memorial to Miss Constance than a dormitory for women on Bradley grounds.”

Bradley’s first women's dormitory was three floors and in addition to sleeping rooms and the housemother’s quarters, it included social spaces such as a living room, dining area, and kitchenettes.

In 1962, Constance Hall became home to the School of Music. In 2002, renovations added an elevator and additional space for classrooms and offices. Buildings change in their use and appearance over time at Bradley but often their names stay the same. Visit the Special Collections Center to uncover more stories about campus spaces and places.

1931

Women college students--Dorm life; Universities and colleges--Illinois--Peoria

For official publication permission or to request high resolution images, contact Special Collections at specialcollections@bradley.edu or (309)677-2822.