The Evolution of the Collins Classroom Center by Shane Olsen

As you stroll east down Fourth Avenue from Division Street, you enter the heart of UWSP. Venerable academic buildings line both sides of the street, and busy students cross that intersection bound for classes in the University’s academic block.

Rewind the clock a few decades, and this area looked very different. In the 1960s, before UWSP experienced an unprecedented surge in enrollment and a subsequent construction of new buildings on campus[1], the landscape was vastly different. Most of the land north of Fourth Avenue was forested, while residential neighborhoods sprawled to the south.[2]^,[3]

The construction of the Collins Classroom Center - or more commonly known now as the “CCC” - in 1965-66 was key in the transformation of this part of campus. Fueled by a pressing need for more classroom space, the new building addressed the demands of a rapidly growing student body. A telling anecdote from the Milwaukee Journal in 1964 highlights the space constraints on campus at the time. An English professor had to deliver his lecture in the basement of the communication building “because fourth graders in the campus elementary school, where the literature students usually meet for a late afternoon class, wanted their own room for a Halloween party.”[4]

The vision behind the CCC extended far beyond immediate needs. President James Albertson, speaking at the building’s groundbreaking ceremony on May 6, 1965, noted that the building was designed for “not only the present student population but also the students coming for the next 75 years.”[5] This forward-thinking perspective was reflected in several notable design elements in the building, such as adaptable interior walls to accommodate larger class sizes in the future.[6] The building was also wired for television service, and at the time had the “first projection booth in the state university system.”[7]

A wide variety ofacademic departments have used the space and classrooms in the CCC.[8] However, the building’s association with the liberal arts and humanities has truly distinguished it. Fred Loewen of the Wisconsin Engineering Bureau lauded the structure as “bold and dignified as befits the humanities.”[9] At the groundbreaking ceremony in 1965, President Albertson declared that the building “was to also become a part of the major purpose of the university - to make students safe for ideas and not ideas safe for students.”[10] The emphasis on critical thinking and academic freedom - long associated with the humanities and libraries - reverberates through the decades, and the CCC remains a cornerstone of UWSP’s academic fabric today.

Shortly after the building was constructed, students often referred to it as the “Polish Embassy” or “Fort Albertson.” The building was renamed in 1971 to honor Joseph V. Collins, a prolific scholar whose intellectual pursuits spanned diverse disciplines. Collins wrote books and articles in fields including mathematics, linguistics, economics, and politics. He also taught on this campus for over 40 years when it was the Stevens Point Normal School and later Central State Teachers College.[11]

Collins’ commitment to learning serves as an enduring inspiration. Even in retirement, his presence lingered, as noted by University Archivist Nelis Kampenga: Collins “worked here until he was nearly 79, and even after retirement, he came to the campus almost every day to study in the library.”[12]

As we reflect on the history of the Collins Classroom Center - from its inception to its present day - we celebrate not just a building, but a symbol of intellectual pursuit and educational excellence. 

This article was researched and written using primary sources available in the Nelis R. Kampenga University Archives and Area Research Center. To learn more about the holdings of the University Archives and how you can use primary sources in your research, contact Archives reference staff at archives@uwsp.edu.

Captions for Photos:

CCC-1

An aerial photo of campus taken in 1964. Note that the Berg Gymnasium and the Science Building are the only University buildings on Fourth Avenue. The land where the Collins Classroom Center would later be built (the far left side of this photo) is still a residential neighborhood, while the land north of Fourth Avenue is mostly undeveloped.

CCC - 2

A view of the Collins Classroom Center from the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Isadore Street. Note that the building does not yet have Joseph V. Collins’ name attached to the north entrance. This photo was taken after construction was completed in 1966 but before the building was renamed in 1971.

CCC - 3

A view of the north entrance of the Collins Classroom Center from the sidewalk on Fourth Avenue. Photo taken in July 1996.

CCC - 4 and CCC - 5

A view of the north entrance of the Collins Classroom Center from the fields north of Fourth Avenue. Photo taken circa 1977.

CCC - 6

A view of the south entrance of the Collins Classroom Center. Photo taken circa 1977.

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[1] Justus Paul, The World Is Ours (Stevens Point: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Foundation Press, Inc., 1994), 101-102.

[2] Aerial Photo of Campus in 1964, Box 15, Folder 1, Ray Specht Campus Planning Photos.

[3] David Behrendt, “Stevens Point University Growing but Classroom Space Inadequate,” The Milwaukee Journal, November 20, 1964, 2. In Collins Classroom Center – Clippings, 1964-1971, UWSP Buildings and Grounds Vertical Files.

[4] Behrendt, “Classroom Space Inadequate,” 1.

[5] “University Grows,” The Pointer, May 27, 1965, 3. In Collins Classroom Center – Clippings, 1964-1971, UWSP Buildings and Grounds Vertical Files.

[6] “Plan Ceremonies at New WSU Buildings,” Stevens Point Daily Journal, October 12, 1966, 15. In Collins Classroom Center – Clippings, 1964-1971, UWSP Buildings and Grounds Vertical Files.

[7] “Open House Programs for Hansen Hall and Classroom Center,” 09-1966 - 02-1967, 36-39, News Service Press Releases.

[8] “Start Soon on Classroom Building,” Stevens Point Daily Journal, April 16, 1965, 1. In Collins Classroom Center – Clippings, 1964-1971, UWSP Buildings and Grounds Vertical Files.

[9] “Open House Programs,” 36-39.

[10] “University Grows,” 3.

[11] “Name Classroom Center for J.V. Collins,” Stevens Point Daily Journal, April 28, 1971, 19. In Collins Classroom Center – Clippings, 1964-1971, UWSP Buildings and Grounds Vertical File.

[12] “Name Classroom Center for J.V. Collins,” 19.