Alex Clermont '06

I think my funniest memory was when we had a fire drill and a guy friend from Trueman House was keeping me company in my room after dinner. When the alarm went off he started freaking out because he couldn't bear the idea of standing out on the lawn surrounded by 80 girls--but lucky for him when we got out there, his house president was also grinning an uncomfortable grin. The two of them patted each other on the back as if congratulating themselves on surviving the same bad luck together. Two fish out of water in a sea of ogling girls--a true Palmer moment.

Beth Peters (Gates) '77

My first two years at Mount A were spent in close proximity to Palmer Hall in Windsor. My circle of friends included several Palmer girls, and I remember visiting them many times. That was back in the days when all the "girls' residences" and Jennings Hall were connected by underground tunnels. We could visit back and forth in our nightgowns if we wanted to, and sometimes did. Some of my closest friends today were at one time "Palmer Girls".

When I first heard that Palmer was to be torn down and replaced with a modern building, I had the standard initial reaction of shock and dismay. Palmer was such a beautiful and unique building! How could they think of such a thing? But then, after some thought, I realized that with the 25 years that have passed since I was at Mount A, the building that was very old then must have continued to deteriorate, and must be in pretty bad shape by now.

I read some of the memory sharing's of other Mount A students, and I can remember the awful banging in the pipes in the winter. (Although it wasn't limited to Palmer by any means! Windsor heaters could kick up a fuss at times too!)

I am glad that the plans have been changed to retain some of the character of Palmer in the outer construction, and I am sure that the tradition of Angel Week will continue in the new residence. After all, it is the people at Mount A that make it really special!

Dawn Chisholm 2002-2003

On September 11, 2002 all the girls were up early getting ready for school. You could hear the showers and hairdryers going and doors opening and closing. We were all very close friends. Everyone talked to everyone in Palmer you just couldn't walk by someone without having a chat. We all ate together which added to this unique first time experience of being away from home. During my Classics class a fellow Allisonian came in and interrupted the prof and said " There has been attack on America. They flew and airplane into the twin tower. They are on fire right now." Suddenly it was like your heart stops for a min. After the class I went to the rec room and turned on the CNN channel. In circled with all the girls that I grew to know we sat and watched hopeless feeling as if this can't be really happening. We all took turns hugging those from the States and showed them that we were there for them and all of us 80 girls stood in silence as the first tower fell down. I knew right then that I had been a apart of history and that these girls and Palmer hall would never be forgotten from my mind. Another point is that we all knew that Palmer needed to be fixed up and other students questioned why we wanted to be here at all. But there was nothing that I could say to them but Palmer is just a part of me and that some how it just embeds itself into your heart and you couldn't even think of living anywhere else then a small house full of lifeful girls. PALMER...PALMER...PALMER!!!!

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Shauna Pierce '96

I was traveling through Sackville in late April and stopped to say my goodbyes to Palmer. What a sad sight to see...there were moving trucks
outside, as the building is now being emptied.

Seeing the building in the spring weather brought back lots of memories of sitting out on the front lawn in the warm April weather, pretending to study for finals. Really, we were soaking up the sun and listening to the music blaring from radios placed in the windows of the building.

Palmer is such a unique building, with a charm all its own. I am sad and disappointed at this development ...surely there is a need for change,
but does it really have to involve taking down one of the older buildings on campus??

I can think of several less traditional buildings that could be remodeled without affecting the heritage quality of our beautiful campus.

I lived in Palmer for all three of my years at Mt.A and although it is a beautiful old building, I have no doubt it needs replacing. I remember when I was there two people couldn't use hair dryers at the same time without blowing a fuse!

I was facing my first year at University. It was a big leap from those days of high school. I received word that yes, I did in fact come across a single room, but that it would be in an all-girls residence. This was not my first choice. I wanted to explore the options of not only living on campus but living in a co-ed house. I felt lucky though, because I did receive a single room so I stuck with it.

Arriving at Palmer Hall was an experience in itself. Meeting all these great girls who would make my first year complete, was slowly reassuring me about the "all-girls dorm" decision. That year was incredible. Along with the advantages of meeting numerous girls who I will have life-lasting friendships with, also came an ongoing battle with the physical aspects of the residence.

Winter approached and with that came the intense banging. The banging that came from every ancient heaters was almost like "a little man was actually living in the pipes and was continuously banging on the metal with a spoon" as I concluded with my experiences. Silverfish and earwigs seemed to live in our rooms more than we actually did but that didn't matter (well, not really). The spirit of this house stayed with us all, through thick and thin.

Hearing that this residence will be soon replaced shook us tremendously. Knowing that along with myself, in my second year, and every other girl in the year of 2002-2003 in Palmer Hall will be the last souls to walk these halls. Out of over 50 years, we will participate in the last Palmer Hall Frosh week, the last Palmer Hall tree decorating, the last Secret Angel week and the last Palmer Hall awards ceremony. With this we take so many memories no bulldozer can ever steal from us and we give new hopes and wishes to those who will come to live in the new House.

Plans sound wonderful for the building, and hopefully many more students can experience their first year with so many memories as those in Palmer Hall. But one thing is for sure, hopefully those heaters will be taken far, far away from any human-kind. To whoever the man is who lives in the heaters: We thank you for the heat you gave to us in the winter, but sometimes 10000 decibel bangs and 45 degree temperatures (trust me, we actually left a thermometer in my room and for two weeks that is what it read, in Celsius) are too much.

I want to thank everyone who made my two years here at Palmer wonderful, and this is coming from a girl who once said in High School "You're never getting me into an all-girls residence, ever". A new residence can replace an empty space on the lawn, sure, but take away over 50 years of memories? I think not.

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It's sad to hear about the plans for Palmer, but if it needs to be done it needs to be done. The residence has such character! Glad I have pictures.