Music Building

During World War II the federal government owned from 170,000 to 270,000 Quonset huts, trailers and buildings built for use of troops both at home and abroad. At the end of the war the excess units were sold to private citizens and businesses or were donated to colleges and universities. The millions of returning service men and women used their G.I. benefits to continue their education. This caused the colleges and universities to be overwhelmed with the need for classrooms and housing for the veterans and their families. These units helped to solve the problem.

In 1947 during the administration of Concord President Dr. Virgil Stewart the Federal Works Administration (WPA) donated two Quonset huts and a temporary building to be used by the music department and the business department. The temporary building was of frame construction with asbestos siding and a shingle roof.  Buildings such as this were called portable, demountable or transportable because they were easy to assemble or disassemble on location. 

The music department facility consisted of a U-shape portable building, two sides faced the athletic field and the third one in the back connected the two. One of the Quonset huts was also used by the music department. When Henry Friedl, who studied at Concord during our years, was questioned about the acoustics of music played in a Quonset hut he said it was surprising how good it sounded.  

Even though they were considered temporary buildings and only expected to last five years, the music department at Concord used the buildings from 1947 until the Fine Arts Building was completed in 1969.

The music program at Concord provides students the instruction, facilities, equipment, and opportunities necessary to develop skills, abilities, and theoretical/historical perspectives in their chosen area of music specialization.  

Sources: concord.edu (ConcordU Music); Henry Friedl who spent several years studying music at Concord.