University Communications

Spring 1997
Memories of Powell
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In the early part of 1942, my boyfriend, who had graduated in 1940 from UCLA, was on active duty. I remember walking into the main reading room after coming back from a weekend that we had spent together and sitting at one of those big tables with assorted classmates and dear friends. I whispered to them all, "I'm gonna get married! I'm gonna get married! June 14 is the date!" I've been in the library many times since, but that's my fondest memory. -- Margaret Bernstein '42

I remember being a little girl and walking all over campus with my grandfather. He told me the history of UCLA and all the buildings. He gave me a special love for the architecture of Powell and the other original buildings. Now when I come back and look around, it brings back a lot of special memories. It reminds me of my own years at UCLA and of my grandfather, Franklin Murphy. -- Erin Crockwell '93

Each of us has our own special memories of Powell and many of mine are associated with the years I worked in the library as administrative assistant to the College Librarian. My responsibilities were broad and required me to perform more than a few rather unusual tasks.

There were, for example, the free concerts presented by the Music Department one Saturday night each quarter. The library Rotunda's unparalleled acoustics made it a natural setting for those performances, but was I really the best person to prepare the hall? I was always afraid that something would go wrong -- and one night, something did.

The featured performers that fateful January evening were the popular UCLA Madrigal Singers who, under the direction of senior lecturer (now emeritus) Donn Weiss, were to give their annual "Twelfth Night" concert. I did my usual bustling, ensuring that chairs for the audience were in perfect rows and that the student ushers were instructed in the proper drill. The photographer was set up at his vantage spot atop a stepladder and a synthesizer, the singers' only accompaniment, was put into place.

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