A place to call their own: Girls move into new Houses

The big day had finally arrived for the resident girls of Erlandson House. After many disappointing delays, on Dec. 11 they finally moved out of Trippeer Hall and into their spacious new home. Both of the new girls Houses had been expected to be completed at the start of the new school year last August, but a record amount of rain in the spring and other complications postponed construction to push back the opening date of the new houses. Several planned move-in days had come and gone, including one the weekend before that had to be canceled due to poor weather.

Needless to say, the anticipation for many girls was beginning to become unbearable. But on Thursday, they got the official word that they could move in and, for once, the weather cooperated beautifully.

“There was certainly an overriding mood of excitement,” said Head of House Blythe Erlandson. “There were many squeals of delight and exclamations of disbelief at the grandeur of the building we were about to inhabit.”

The girls began to officially move in right after the end of the school day, receiving special permission to skip their after-school activities. Though they had a lot of help carrying their boxes to the new dorm, conveniently located next door to their old residence, the move took up most of the evening, with some girls still hauling in personal belongings as curfew approached late that night. “It wasn’t a real organized event,” Erlandson said. “On the whole, though, I think everything has gone incredibly smoothly.”

Many girls were stunned by the size of their rooms and the large common areas spread throughout the house. Several boys, who offered to help with the move, were equally impressed as they carried in boxes. Many expressed their happiness with the common lounge at the entrance of the House equipped with a television, and most importantly, a boys’ bathroom.

On Jan 12, Griffeth House girls made their own journey to their new House and all resident girls look forward to having the courtyard in front of the three Houses, Griffeth, Erlandson, and Milford, completed. The next step in the evolution is the demolition of Trippeer Hall, scheduled now for mid-February. The arch around Trippeer’s main door will be left in place to create a grand entrance to the courtyard.

The girls have adjusted comfortably to their new surroundings, and while the newness of the house continues to fade, there is still a great sense of excitement about being the first residents of their beautiful new homes.