The Sealed Labs of Pfahler

Equally beautiful in both the mid-autumn sunshine (left) and all lit up at dusk (right), Pfahler Hall is one of the science buildings on campus that has had quite a few rumors of unsolved mysteries - the sealed radioactivity labs being one of them.

Of all the buildings on campus, Pfahler Hall is one of the most well-known. With a tower that lights up like a rainbow at night, this structure houses the Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, and Environmental classes and, during the unavoidably awful exam periods, is known by its nickname as ‘Failure Hall’. However, midterm and finals weeks aside, many people have a great deal of affection for the building – with its fun geological displays, ample supply of whiteboards, and friendly residents, Pfahler Hall is a very welcoming space. But as we discovered when first introducing concepts of varied perspectives regarding haunted locations, older buildings and basements tend to excite people’s imaginations and the unique viewpoints related to the Hall cause it to become a very interesting place when you’re out looking for ghostly memories. To put it in the words of the school’s newspaper The Grizzly, “Pfahler basement after hours? I wouldn’t want to be caught there alone”[1]. That sentiment is not uncommon, and with the early nights of autumn and the popularity of spine-tingling media on campuses (such as the hit show Stranger Things, which also features a creepy storyline and an area characterized by layers of mystery), it isn’t surprising that people feel somewhat unnerved by the science building’s basement. Adding to this unease is the legend of the sealed radioactivity labs that are housed underneath the main staircase – “There used to be labs down there, but you can’t get to them now, they’ve been closed off” is the passing comment that keeps curiosity about this location alive. Why were they sealed? What experiments took place there? How many people know they exist/existed? Why does only a single sentence preserve their memory? These were the questions that filled my mind after hearing about the labs, and as I dug into the history of the Pfahler Hall of Science and its relationship with radioactivity, I was able to catch sight of the layers of perspective that have gone into building the Ursinus campus into what it is today.

-L. Jarvis

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[1] Johnny Myers, “Something wicked this way comes,” The Grizzly (Ursinus College, PA), Oct. 26, 2017.

This letter in The Weekly (February 8, 1932) addresses the need for more monetary support from alumni in order to cover the costs of constructing the new science building.

Dr. Omwake writes about the finishing touches on the science building and states his anticipation of the educational advantages that will be provided by the construction.

This article details installations within the science building and monetary gifts given toward its construction.

This image provides an aerial view of the college's campus where the construction of the new science building (later to be named Pfahler Hall) can be seen as just the foundations on the leftmost side of the image.

This article explains how a committee was gathered in order to select quotations for the two inscriptions to be made on the science building. The winners were words from Kepler and Faraday.

During this speech given at the Founder's Convocation Day of 1942, the wonders of the physical universe and the desire to understand the mystery of life are extolled by Dr. Harry E. Paisley.

Dr. Harry E. Paisley honors Dr. George E. Pfahler by formally declaring that the science building be officially known as the Pfahler Hall of Science.

A closeup photograph of the Pfahler Hall of Science's name above the main entrance.

This article elaborates on the ideas the helped propel the project of constructing the science building that would come to be known as Pfahler Hall.

This article provides a description of the outline, structure, and rooms found within the science building.

This article elaborates on the benefits of including science in a liberal education, providing an atmosphere for scientific collaboration, and challenging students so as to further their scientific understanding.

Funding and financial campaigns for the new science building are presented in this article.

This image shows the original layout of the first and basement floors in 1932 - note that the radioactivity labs are labelled as the 'Constant Temperature' and 'Low Temperature' rooms since they have not been refurbished into laboratories.

The main floor and basement floor rooms are detailed in this article.

A sketch of the new science building at Ursinus College.

This article gives the monetary amount donated by Dr. Pfahler to aid the college in paying for Pfahler Hall's construction.

A physics course description from 1933-1934 that will be altered in future school years

A physics course description from 1934-1935 that will be altered in future school years

A physics course description from 1935-1936 that will be altered in future school years

A physics course description from 1936-1937 that replaces the former 7-8. class; this description does not mention the specific study of radioactivity and x-rays, but rather focuses upon the relation between chemistry and physics.

This article gives a description of the awards and positions held by Dr. Pfahler, the namesake of Pfahler Hall.