1900-1925
1901
Willard Dickerman Straight (1880-1918) graduated from Cornell University in 1901 with a degree in architecture. A natural leader, he was deeply involved in campus organizations – from class committees to student publications – laying the foundation for his lifelong commitment to fostering community. He is also credited with organizing a St. Patrick’s Day celebration for architecture students that evolved into today’s Dragon Day tradition.
After graduation, Willard embarked on a distinguished international career in journalism, diplomacy, and finance, primarily in Korea and China. Admired for his cultural competency and breadth of experiences in East Asia, he became an influential advocate for American investment in China.
1911
Willard married Dorothy Whitney Straight in 1911, and the couple launched The New Republic magazine in 1914 and purchased Asia magazine in 1917.
A member of the prominent Whitney family of business and political leaders, Dorothy (1887-1968) dedicated her life to progressive social causes and philanthropy, championing women’s suffrage, labor rights, the arts and education.
Dorothy’s activism and generosity were remarkable for their breadth and impact. At age 20, she became president of the New York Junior League, a women’s volunteer organization, and she was the first president of the national Association of Junior Leagues of America. She helped found The New School for Social Research, chaired the Women’s Emergency Committee of the European Relief Council to aid children and refugees following World War I, and fundraised for the Women’s Trade Union League.
1918
While in Paris for peace negotiations at the close of World War I, Willard Straight fell victim to the 1918 influenza epidemic and passed away.
1925
Willard’s legacy lives on through his gift to Cornell—Willard Straight Hall. His will directed his widow, Dorothy Whitney Straight, to do “such thing or things for Cornell University as she may think most fitting and useful to make the same a more human place.” The result was a student union building, opened on November 18, 1925, to provide a welcoming community space for all students.
In 1925 Dorothy married Leonard Elmhirst, Class of 1921, and the two purchased Dartington Hall, an English country estate that they developed into a hub of progressive educational and artistic programs. Dorothy’s legacy continues today through Willard Straight Hall and the Dartington Trust in England.
On December 14, 1925, Willard Straight Hall was formally dedicated with remarks by Dorothy Whitney Elmhirst:
“Willard Straight cared deeply about Cornell. In drawing his will he asked, or rather suggested, that a portion of his estate be devoted to the cause he had at heart—the enrichment of the human contacts of student life….
Willard Straight saw individual life assuming significance and importance through vital relations with other human beings. The great formative factor in his own life was his contact with people—a group of relationships through which his personality progressively expanded. It was characteristic of him that whatever he did, he built up around each of his activities a little society of friends. In drawing his will and requesting that, if possible, a contribution be made to Cornell, it seems probable that he had in mind the desire to see University life opened to more opportunities for the sort of human contacts which had beautified and enriched life for him. Those of us who were privileged to carry out his bequest for Cornell saw in the project of a student union the possibility of creating such a community—a community which would exist solely for the purpose of bringing out human relationships.
It is our hope that Willard Straight Hall may play a part in cementing really great friendships—friendships between men and girls, between faculty and students, between men of all groups, races, and nationalities….
Perhaps it will be possible for the students here to hammer out together their social faiths, their religious creeds, their philosophies, their political beliefs, their own roads to freedom. We trust those faiths and fears, those hopes and doubts, may be built into the very bone and structure of this building.
So because human relationships opened new worlds to Willard Straight, it is our hope that the Union may in some measure recreate life in these terms for others…. We present the building to the University, to be guided and governed by the students, and made by them, through their own adventures of spirit here, into an instrument for the illumination and enhancement of personal and social living.”
1926-1950
1934
Cornell’s trustees vote to allow the sale of beer in the building.
1935
The building’s dining rooms are all opened to both men and women. When the building was first built, there were separate men’s and women’s lounges and dining rooms. initial planning for the building, some faculty suggested it be used by men only, but Dorothy advocated for women to have access.
1938
The first Music and Art Rooms are established in the building.
1939
A photographic dark room is established in the building.
1943
The location of today’s Okenshields was created when the building’s open air terrace was roofed over in 1943 to serve as an Army Mess Hall for student soldiers at Cornell during World War II.
1944
The first woman becomes chair of the Willard Straight Hall Board of Managers, the student organization that leads programming in the building.
1944
The Cornell Radio Guild, the student-run radio station that today operates WVBR-FM, first moves into Willard Straight Hall.
1949
Air conditioning is installed in the theater.
1951-1975
1953
The Music Room is established in the west lounge.
1954
The first television is installed in the building.
1969
On April 19, 1969, Willard Straight Hall became the epicenter for a pivotal moment in Cornell history. Students in the Afro-American Society (AAS) occupied Willard Straight Hall in protest against systemic racism and inequality, particularly related to the campus judicial system, university governance, support for Black students, and concerns over development of the Africana Studies and Research Center. Prompted by a burning cross at the Wari House, a Black women’s cooperative house, the building takeover occurred during Parents’ Weekend when families were staying in the building’s upper rooms. In response to an attempt by other students to retake the building, students inside acquired guns for self-defense, resulting in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of armed students exiting Willard Straight Hall.
The 36-hour occupation ended with an agreement by university administrators to address several student demands. Key outcomes included greater institutional focus on inclusion and recognition of the struggles faced by underrepresented students. In the following years, a new campus judicial system and student government would be created, and students would be granted voting seats on the Board of Trustees. While the occupation sparked intense debate about student activism and academic freedom, it ultimately became a catalyst for profound change to ensure Cornell upholds its founding commitment to “any person.”
1975
The building’s dining facilities are remodeled, and the Ivy Room switched places with the newly-named cafeteria, Okenshields, which eventually expanded into both spaces in 2021. It was named for Thorin Oakenshield, a dwarf character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
1976-2000
1989
The Willard Straight Hall theater becomes home to Cornell Cinema. The first film was shown in the theater in 1927, although it was primarily used for stage plays until the space was refurbished for Cornell Cinema.
1989
Banners donated by Sigma Phi Society are hung Inside the Memorial Room. The banners have symbols representing Cornell’s colleges and were updated in 2019, 2022, and 2025.
2003
Ceramics Studio renovated.
2005
Photographic dark room is closed, and the fifth floor Game Room renovated into lounge and rehearsal space.
2007
Computer lab installed on first floor, and the second floor is renovated for what was then known as the Office of Student Support and Diversity Education.
2012
The Bear’s Den opens as part of the Ivy Room in an attempt to encourage evening and late-night programming. It closes in 2017.
2018
Straight from the Market opens in the space that was formerly Cascadeli and The Straight Scoop.
2020
The Ivy Room closes for good with the closing of the building during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its space becomes part of Okenshields.
Lobby
Lobby Mural
Did you know that the mural in the lobby of Willard Straight Hall was painted by Ezra Winter using paint with casein, or milk curd, which was collected daily from the College of Agriculture? Winter’s other murals include The Fountain of Youth in Radio City Music Hall and The Canterbury Tales at the Library of Congress John Adams Building. This mural depicts the character traits of Courage – a young man attempting to subdue a unicorn; Chivalry – a knight in armor; Adventure – a ship in full sail, evoking Straight’s trip to China; Diplomacy – two Western and Chinese men meeting as friends; the Judgment of Paris – appreciation of beauty and love; Imagination – the writer, musician and artist; Philosophical Wisdom – the wise man oblivious to the treasure at his feet; and Optimism and Joyousness – flowers springing from the bones of a dead dragon.
The Straight Desk
Did you know that the lobby service center was previously called the Straight Desk, serving as a pre-Internet helpdesk for any and all questions related to Cornell? Staffed for seventeen hours a day, the desk sold newspapers, magazines, and gum, and its student staff members prided themselves on being able to answer anything. The desk was also a hub for picking up applications for campus jobs and clubs or purchasing tickets to campus events.
1969 Occupation
Did you know that students in the Afro-American Society (AAS) occupied Willard Straight Hall for 36 hours in April 1969 to protest systemic racism and inequality? The landmark event led to significant changes at Cornell in the judicial system, university governance, and support for students of color.
Memorial Room
Willard Straight Portrait
Did you know that Willard Straight was named one of “The 100 Most Notable Cornellians” in a 2003 book written by three Cornell faculty? He was an influential diplomat and businessman in East Asia, advocating for American investment in China. He and his wife, Dorothy, also helped to found The New Republic and Asia magazines.
Fireplace
Did you know that the text over the fireplace is excerpted from a letter Willard Straight wrote to his eldest son while serving in France during World War I? Willard Straight died in Paris in 1918 during the influenza pandemic at the close of the war, and the letter included his final paternal advice: “Treat all women with chivalry … Respect of your fellows is worth more than applause … Understand and sympathize with those who are less fortunate than you are ... Make up your own mind but respect the opinions of others ... Don’t think a thing right or wrong because someone tells you so ... Think it out for yourself, guided by the advice of those whom you respect ... Hold your head high and keep your mind open ... You can always learn.”
The Bears
Did you know that Willard Straight Hall was the first building to incorporate Touchdown the Bear into its design? A live bear had become the football team’s mascot in 1915, a decade before the Straight’s opening, and it was followed by Touchdown II and Touchdown III in 1916 and 1919. The fourth and final live bear mascot accompanied the team in 1939. In addition to the bears in the Memorial Room, look for the two bears above the main entrance of the building, facing Ho Plaza, one holding a football and one holding books.
The Banners
Did you know that the banners hanging from the ceiling with symbols of Cornell’s colleges were first donated by Sigma Phi Society in 1989? The fraternity has updated and added to the banners several times over the years as new colleges are created and symbols evolve. To see the symbols of Cornell’s eight colleges at the time of Willard Straight Hall’s opening in 1925, look over the main entrance that faces Ho Plaza.
Art Gallery
Portrait
Did you know that as a student, Willard Straight was editor-in-chief of the Cornell Era literary magazine, artistic editor of the Cornellian yearbook, and on the editorial board of the Cornell Widow humor magazine? Straight was a popular student leader who participated in a range of class committees and honor societies, as well as the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
Binnacle
Did you know that the strange device above is a binnacle, mounted on ships to protect navigational instruments like a magnetic compass? In 1929, this binnacle traveled from Ithaca, New York, to Ithaca, Greece, aboard the Carlsark, a yacht owned by Carl Weagant, Class of 1929, who set sail around the globe after graduation with several friends (who weren’t told of their destination until it was too late).
South of Building
Spring Day Painting
Did you know that today’s Slope Day evolved from a tradition called Spring Day? Begun in 1901 with a parade to help fundraise for Cornell athletics, the holiday had a carnival-like atmosphere for many decades before shifting to a concert on the Slope. Willard Straight, Class of 1901, marched in the first Spring Day parade with a “zebra” (a dog in disguise).
Women’s Lounges
Did you know that the south side of the building was home to Willard Straight Hall’s women’s lounges, while the Memorial Room to the north served as the men’s lounge? The fourth floor restrooms still reflect this separation. In 1935, the building’s dining rooms were all opened to both men and women, and the lounges were integrated in 1943. During the initial planning for the building, some faculty suggested it be used by men only, but Willard Straight’s widow, philanthropist and social activist Dorothy Whitney Straight, advocated for women to have access.
Browsing Library
Did you know that the Willard Straight Browsing Library was intended to be a reading library where students could stop by and enjoy non-academic books on a range of subjects? With fewer books accessible to students in 1925, the Browsing Library was developed to complement the reference, technical, and academic books in the University Library (today’s Uris Library). Preference was given to short, modern, and entertaining books. Students and faculty were often given opportunities to recommend or vote for books to be added, but over time, student reading habits evolved and books became more easily available elsewhere.
Dining Areas
Straight from the Market
Did you know that the Willard Straight Hall terrace used to be one floor lower? The area that is Okenshields today was an open air terrace that was roofed over in 1943 to serve as an Army Mess Hall for student soldiers at Cornell during World War II. This seating area was an upper terrace that was enclosed in 1938. The Straight from the Market space has been home to many eateries over the years, including The Straight Scoop ice cream shop and Cascadeli.
Okenshields
Did you know Okenshields was named in the 1970s for Thorin Oakenshield, a dwarf character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit? The space it originally occupied had been called the Ivy Room since 1946, but the Ivy Room switched places with the cafeteria in the 1970s, and Okenshields eventually expanded into both spaces in 2021.
Cornell Cinema
Cornell Cinema
Did you know that the very first theatrical production in the Willard Straight theater was of “The Contrast,” a 1787 play by early American playwright Royall Tyler? One of the stars was Franchot Tone, Class of 1927, who would go on to a very successful career in film and television, including an Academy Award nomination and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The murals on the theater walls were painted by J. Monroe Hewlett. On the right (or west) wall are scenes and verses from the plays of William Shakespeare. The left (or east) wall depicts scenes and verses from Greek classic theater. The first film was shown in the theater in 1927, although it was primarily used for stage plays until the space was refurbished in 1989 to become home of Cornell Cinema.
Willard Straight Hall has impacted generations—and that legacy continues with you.
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