Badin Hall (University of Notre Dame)

Before the Main Building at the University burned down in the great fire of 1879 it hosted a Manual Labor School (founded in 1843), that was then moved after the fire in a location near currently Walsh Hall. A few years later, the Manual Labor School was moved on wheels to the present location of Badin Hall. The temporary structure was substituted with brick structure (the one still standing) and renamed St. Joseph Hall, and hosted the St. Joseph's Industrial School' and was open in November 1897. It was intended to open before the start of the school year, but it did not happen because of a delay in construction. The first floor contained private rooms, a reading room, and a refectory while the second floor contained classrooms, a study hall, and rooms for prefects. A wide staircase led to the third floor, that was used entirely as dormitory. The first director of the new St. Joseph Hall was Rev. Gallagher, who arranged improvements to the rooms and set up a chapel where Mass was said. He provided newspapers and magazines for the boy's free moments. Once enrolled, young men trained to be blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters, farmers, and tailors. The goods produced were used by University personnel, and some were sold in South Bend shops.

Due to the conversion from a profitable institution to non-profit, St. Joseph Hall was converted to a men's University dormitory. It underwent major expansions, and it was renamed Badin Hall, in honor of Rev. Stephen Badin. Stephen Badin was the first priest ordained in the United States, and was the previous owner of the land on which the University was built. The first rector of Badin Hall was Rev. Fr. Francis McGarry. From the very beginning, the men of Badin Hall organized in interhall sports, a trademark activity of Notre Dame students. In 1972, Badin become one of the first two residence halls to be converted as a women's dormitory following the acceptance of women into the university.[7][8] In 1931, the university bookstore, previously located in Main Building, was relocated to the south half of the lower floor of Badin Hall, a space that had undergone a variety of uses; first it was a refectory, then a classroom, and then a recreation room for the members of the Congregation of Holy Cross.[9]

Badin Hall on South Quad

In June 1942, the men of Badin Hall were vacated to make space for the Navy officers, recruits and midshipmen that came to campus to train. The Navy and the University entered in a partnership and a Navy College Training Program was established, This provided the Navy with space and resources for training, while it helped the University recover from the loss in income and enrollment due to World War II. When veterans returned to campus after the war, the vast majority were accommodated in Badin.

In 1972 Badin Hall became, with Walsh Hall, the first dorm to host women. Badin celebrated its centenary in 1997, and in 1998, the mascot changed from Badin Attitude to the Badin Bullfrogs. Badin will be extensively renovated in the 2017-2018 year, which features air-conditioned lounges and kitchens on every floor, and a larger gym.[10] Renovations included a new chapel, since the original industrial building did not include an apt space; the money was donated by Peter and Nancy Baranay. The chapel features stained glass windows from the early 20th century, donated by alumni Charles Hayes and Jon Rittenand originally designed by Franz Xaver Zettler in Munich, Germany, and restored from an old Chicago convent.[11] The residents of Badin Hall moved to Pangborn Hall for the year. [12][13]