Agnes Scott College: From Permanence to Progression

Agnes Scott College's campus in Decatur, Georgia embodies the tensions between upholding Southern tradition and embracing more modern, progressive ideals that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1889 as the Decatur Female Seminary, the school wanted to cultivate an identity that aligned with the traditions and identities of the Old South while also asserting itself as a vanguard of women's education. This delicate balance is reflected in the college’s built environment. The campus retains a strong image of architectural cohesion through its consistent employment of red brick exteriors and manicured green quads, yet the school has adopted new building styles and forms that indicate a deliberate shift to adapt to the evolving surrounding context.

These architectural transitions demonstrate an attempt by the school to position itself as a progressive and national-caliber institution in a region where women’s education was not always valued.  From traditional classic revival to contemporary design, the hundred-acre campus tells a story of Agnes Scott’s ongoing effort to balance tradition with modernity by adapting new identities and trying to build a place for itself in a region that had not deemed it as important. Its growth is marked by a few key shifts that reflected larger changing sociocultural attitudes where the school purposefully chose to align with or break from its environment. 

This story highlights four buildings, each representative of a different era for Agnes Scott:

            At the end of the 19 ^th  century, Decatur only had two schools, neither of which extended past middle grades.  ^[1]     There were few opportunities for women to gain education or have their own agency over their careers. Thus, the Decatur Presbyterian Church decided to form “a school for young ladies and girls, to be of high order and under Presbyterian control and influence.”  ^[2]   This led to the establishment of the Decatur Presbyterian Seminary in 1889, which later became Agnes Scott College. With the school’s charter, Frank Gaines, the chairman of the board, created the Agnes Scott Ideal which laid out six principles to dictate its growth and direction:

1. A liberal Curriculum fully abreast of the best institutions of this country. 

2. The Bible a text-book. 

3. Thoroughly qualified and concentrated teachers.

4. A high standard of scholarship. 

5. All the influences of the College conducive to the formation and development of Christian character. 

6. The glory of god, the chief end of all.  ^[3]  

Together, these tenets aimed to instill traditional Christian values while still exposing students to progressive ideas about women's education that were emerging at the time. 

            After the school was chartered and staffed according to the outlined values, it needed a physical home. Colonel Scott, one of the seminary’s primary donors, visited colleges in the Northeast to form a plan for the campus. He hired architect Thomas Morgan to design the school’s first building, Agnes Scott “Main” Hall, based on his observations up north. The $112,150 building housed 50 students.  ^[4]   Its architectural features would define the campus for the next few decades (Figure 1).

Main Hall’s Richardsonian Romanesque style is characterized by its robust and substantial materiality that conveys a sense of solidity and permanence. It was predominantly constructed of red brick masonry, a common building material in the late 19th-century American South (Figure 2). It thus aligned it with aesthetics of the time and allowed the school to seamlessly blend in with its surroundings, suggesting that women’s education could fit right into the existing community. This strategic design choice helped to normalize and legitimize the pursuit of higher learning for women. Furthermore, its towered construction mimicked a fortress or castle, associating the Main Hall with images of solidity and signaling that the school was here to stay (Figure 3). It was not flashy or innovative, but instead sturdy and practical, reflecting the college's focus on providing a strong educational foundation for women. By demonstrating strength and stability, the building made a powerful statement about the lasting need for women’s empowerment in the region. 

Within its substantial exterior, Main Hall housed both educational and domestic spaces. Classrooms, studios, and libraries coexisted with dormitories, parlors, and sitting rooms, blending images of academia with traditional Southern values and expectations for women (Figures 4, 5, 6). 

By integrating elements of domesticity into the design of Agnes Scott Hall, the college acknowledged and embraced deeply ingrained Southern values. This strategic approach possibly helped to alleviate potential concerns or resistance from those who might have perceived women's education as a threat to the established social order, instead presenting it as a natural progression that complemented and enriched the existing Southern way of life. This allowed the school to carefully weave out a space for itself within the Southern cultural landscape.

Through strategically aligning Agnes Scott Hall with the aesthetic and cultural sensibilities of the South, Main Hall demonstrated the college’s commitment to preserving the region's traditions while simultaneously championing the empowerment of women through education. This delicate balance between innovation and familiarity helped to create a space where women's intellectual pursuits could take root and thrive within the context of a society that was still grappling with the idea of female empowerment.

In the decades following the construction of Main Hall, more buildings were erected on the Agnes Scott campus, all following a similar sturdy refined Southern manner with wrapping porches, sitting parlors, and other domestic spaces. Monetary gifts from the General Education Board helped the campus expand to host more students, but the school struggled as there was still not a strong push to educate young women in the South.  ^[5]   However, the administration turned to capital campaigns and acquired land to establish Agnes Scott as a pioneering academic institution. During these campaigns, the campus compared itself to other “Strong Colleges for Women,” examining how they could model off them financially, demographically, and most important—physically (Figure 7). 

They purchased seven acres of land in the early 1920s and raised over $1,500,000 in the following ten years.  ^[6]   Two-thirds of these funds were put towards the campus and a new robust development plan (Figure 8). Through these efforts, Agnes Scott wanted to expand the architectural scope of its built environment beyond the South.  ^[7]   The first step of this project was completed in 1930: Buttrick Hall (Figure 9). 

While Main Hall signified permanence and solidity as a new space for women’s education in the South, Buttrick demonstrated the start of a shift for the school to align itself with established images of higher academia outside the region. The school had found its place in Decatur, now it had to navigate a much larger challenge: proving it was a significant institution on a national level. One primary facet of this was moving beyond Southern aesthetic familiarity and modeling the architecture of top universities and women’s colleges on the East Coast to project a portrait of academic elitism. 

With its ornate details, ribbed vaults, and pointed arches coupled with “modern” materials like steel and reinforced concrete, Buttrick’s Gothic design signaled a shift in Agnes Scott’s identity (Figures 10, 11).  ^[8]  

These elements strongly mirrored collegiate Gothic styles popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by institutions like Yale, Princeton, and Bryn Mawr. By emulating the architectural norms of East Coast schools and leading women’s institutions, Agnes Scott was making a powerful statement about its commitment to providing an elite-level education for its female students and transitioning from its Southern roots. During these years, its identity became an offset of much larger ideals for what spaces for higher education should look like.  

In the building’s dedication, W.P. Few, the president of Duke University at the time, made pointed remarks that redefined the school’s character and mission. Reflecting on Buttrick Hall’s new construction, he claimed that:

“We not only value improved facilities for their direct educational uses but we also realize that noble surroundings affect the character of the students who are privileged to live amid them and affect the character of the institution itself.”

W.P. Few   ^[9]  

Here, buildings became more than just physical spaces for learning, but a view into the college’s larger roles and motivations. By aligning itself with images of established academia like Duke’s Gothic campus, through Buttrick and later related buildings, Agnes Scott sent a powerful message: it was a serious academic institution dedicated to rethinking traditional gender roles and belonged among its peers. 

In the years after Buttrick, similar structures popped up. The McCain Library and Presser Hall, the new center for music, were constructed in 1936 and 1940 and employed the same collegiate Gothic style (Figures 12, 13).

As the college celebrated its semi-centennial anniversary in 1939, the board set $2 million in financial goals dedicated to campus expansion.  ^[10]   During this time, the school used new capital to further model itself on other institutions, like the Seven Sister Schools in the North. The administration brought in notable academics from schools like the University of Chicago and Mount Holyoke College to demonstrate its relationship to the greater academic world.  ^[11]   Thus, by mimicking high-caliber schools that educated women though Agnes Scott’s physical and social environment, the college wanted to align itself with elite academia and cement its credibility.

These ideals shifted, however, as the college experienced the spillover effects of changing social contexts of the 1950s and early 1960s. The Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Rights Movement, and broader calls for social progress challenged the status quo and encouraged Agnes Scott to rethink its identity and standing. The campus became a forum for debate and dialogue on key issues, where many students took an activist stance and were deeply involved in Atlanta's social justice movements. Instead of trying to catch up with others, the school began to forge its own path. 

As the college's confidence and ambition grew, its architectural choices began to reflect a more radical departure from the past and the school began to branch out into its own identity. The Dana Fine Arts Center, designed by John Portman and completed in 1965, marked a significant change in Agnes Scott's visual identity and ushered the school into the Modern Era (Figure 14). It embraced a contemporary, imaginative style that was physically quite different than its Gothic neighbors but still employed many of the same materials and elements like pointed arches and groin vaults, maintaining a sense of architectural cohesion (Figures 15, 16, 17). 

In the building’s information booklet, prominent Atlanta architect Portman connects the fine arts center to the surrounding campus:

"The juxtaposition of the exterior screen wall of Dana with the glass and concrete wall inside the courtyard sets up the counterpoint which makes the building still a part of the campus and yet a distinct entity unto itself. The arched, corbeled, pierced brick wall relates in a contemporary manner to the style and texture of older buildings on the campus."

John Portman   ^[12]  

Here, the school breaks from its previous tradition of the past few decades to emulate other schools and instead takes a step in a distinctly new direction, reflecting its new position. 

While it maintains the same red brick exterior and Gothic emphasis on verticality and light, the art center’s courtyard, and interior present a much different version of Agnes Scott (Figures 18, 19). Its stark, geometric forms and extensive use of glass, concrete, and metal created a strikingly contemporary appearance that stood out among the campus's more traditional brick structures (Figure 20). Portman’s “study in the relationship of space within space” radically departed from the compartmentalized, classroom-centric designs of earlier academic buildings on campus (Figure 21).  ^[13]   The building's amenities, such as studios, art galleries, and a 400-seat theater, further underscored Agnes Scott's commitment to the arts and creative expression. This signaled a shift away from the college's historical position towards a more diverse, interdisciplinary approach to education that reflected changing societal values and expectations for women. The college was no longer trying to catch up with its peers, but instead acting as a pioneer for what educational spaces could be. 

After the construction of the Dana Fine Arts Center, the campus stayed quite constant for a few decades as only two more structures were added before the turn of the century: the Woodruff Physical Activities Building and a new public safety center.  ^[14]   In 1998 however, the school hired planning firm Wallace Roberts & Todd to create a new framework for the institution’s future that would allow it to increase enrollment to 1,000 students.  ^[15]   The proposed plan would “maximize existing facilities and spaces, transforming these fine old buildings into new centers of academic excellence while honoring the elegant campus plan that has served the College and its community for more than a century (Figure 22).”   ^[16]   At this point, the school’s physical environment had a strong sense of identity. Agnes Scott could build on its existing architectural legacy rather than modeling itself on other colleges.

The first embodiment of the plan came in the 2001 Alston Campus Center (Figure 23). Standing on the former site of the college’s gym and infirmary, the new campus center became the nexus of student life. Maintaining the same brick facing as its neighbors, the building utilizes concrete and glass to create layers of stark geometric detail, marking a departure from the more traditional masonry construction of earlier structures. With its new technology commons, career center, and extensive lounge and workspaces, the student center reflects a shift in educational approach towards a more holistic, interdisciplinary model. Dedicated places for students and professors to interact on a personal level foster a sense of community and collaboration that go beyond the purely academic focus of the college's previous facilities (Figure 24). Furthermore, its interior is deeply flexible (Figure 25). Unlike its rigid, compartmentalized predecessors like Main and Buttrick Hall, the Alston Campus Center is fluid, energetic, and fosters interaction. 

This decision to break from traditional hierarchy aligns with the college’s evolving approach to women’s education. The new built environment encourages students to take an active role in shaping their educational experience instead of adhering to conservative expectations.  Its blend of traditional and contemporary materials, along with its programmatic focus on student life and interdisciplinary learning, embody the college's ability to adapt its physical environment to meet the changing needs of the 21st century, while still honoring its architectural heritage. Thus, the campus center serves as a powerful example of not just the college’s physical growth, but also its changing ethos towards the role of higher education. 

The story of Agnes Scott’s campus illustrates that the college originally tried to balance Southern tradition with ideals of elite academia to provide a space for women’s education in an area where it was not highly valued. Over the decades, Agnes Scott's architectural choices reflected its growing confidence and ambition, from the solidity of Agnes Scott Hall to the academic alignment of Buttrick Hall, the bold modernism of the Dana Fine Arts Center, and finally the flexible, student-centered design of the Alston Campus Center. Throughout its history, Agnes Scott's campus has served as a physical manifestation of the college's strategic navigation between societal expectations and its vision for women's empowerment. The built environment thus stands as a chronicle of Agnes Scott's pioneering role in the pursuit of gender equity in higher education.

Rainey Wise (‘26C) is a Sociology major and Architectural Studies minor at Emory. She is interested in urban planning, policy, and design.

Keywords: Campus planning, campus design, Southern architecture, historically women’s colleges, John Portman.

McCain Library Special Collections and Resources.  https://libguides.agnesscott.edu/speccoll/dana_fineartscenter .

Agnes Scott College. 1906. Dedicatory Exercises of Rebekah Scott Hall.  https://dspace.agnesscott.edu/handle/123456789/719 .

Agnes Scott College. 1998. A 21st Century College for Women. Agnes Scott College Special Bulletin, 3, no.2. Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College  https://dspace.agnesscott.edu/handle/123456789/1233 .

Agnes Scott College. 2003. Alston Campus Center. Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College.  https://dspace.agnesscott.edu/bitstream/123456789/1059/1/Alston_2003.pdf .

Agnes Scott Institute. 1891. Dedicatory Exercises of the Agnes Scott Institute. Atlanta, GA: Constitution Publishing Company.  https://dspace.agnesscott.edu/handle/123456789/1170 .

Gaines, Frank. 1922. The Story of Agnes Scott College (1889-1921). Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College.  https://archive.org/details/storyofagnesscot00fran/page/6/mode/2up .

McCain, James R. 1939. The Story of Agnes Scott College: 1889-1939.  https://archive.org/details/storyofagnesscot00jame/page/64/mode/2up .

McCain, James R. 1956. The Growth of Agnes Scott College: 1889-1955. Agnes Scott College Bulletin 53, no.2. Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College  https://archive.org/details/agnesscottcolleg532jame .

McNair, Walter E. 1983. Lest We Forget: An Account of Agnes Scott College. Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College.  https://archive.org/details/lestweforgetacco00walt/page/n5/mode/2up .

Portman, John. 1965. Charles A. Dana Fine Arts Building. Decatur, GA: Agnes Scott College. McCain Library Special Collections and Archives.  https://libguides.agnesscott.edu/ld.php?content_id=17496396 .