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Bateman Physical Sciences Center B-Wing |
It is well known that President Grady Gammage’s greatest achievement was his success in guiding Arizona State Teachers’ College through the academic changes and physical growth that led to attainment of university status on December 5th 1958, almost fifty years ago. Jack Fuchs, who recently retired after teaching for 55 years in the department, can relate many anecdotes from those frugal early times. An amusing one recalls the day a few years before ASC became ASU when President Gammage was walking down Mill Avenue and came across the only organic chemistry faculty member in an extremely inebriated condition, reduced to negotiating the street on all fours. Gammage fired him on the spot, thus reducing the chemistry faculty by 25% in one fell swoop!
The chemist (one of the remaining three along with Jack Fuchs) who headed the Division of Physical Sciences and was soon to become the first Chair of the Department of Chemistry, was George M. Bateman. The Physical Sciences Center, which it turns out is also celebrating its fiftieth birthday, is named after Bateman.
Construction of the current B and C wings of the Physical Sciences Center began in 1957 and was completed in 1959. Bateman was the first faculty member with a doctoral degree to be hired at Arizona State Teachers’ College. He was given the daunting task of developing the entire science program for the college. There were no college-level courses in biology, chemistry or physics at the time. Curiously, Bateman was also chairman of the college Athletic Board and helped guide the construction of Sun Devil Stadium and Packard Stadium.
Mort Munk, who was chair of the department from 1975 until 1986 and also from 1989 until1998, wrote the proposal for the construction of the D wing which was designed by Jack Fuchs. Jack laments that he designed the building during a summer month for which the financial vice-president, Gilbert Cady, agreed to pay him. However when he returned from what was left of his summer break, he found that Cady had changed his mind “due to hard times”. Jack was evidently required to spread his wealth! As we all know, the building now consists of wings A-H wherein students study physics, astronomy, chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics and geology. Many believe that the mix of disciplines in the one continuous physical structure is one of the strengths of ASU. |
