James N. Anderson Hall

Honoree

James Nesbitt Anderson was the first dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the first dean of the Graduate School at the University of Florida. He received a bachelor’s of literature from the University of Virginia in 1886 as well as a master’s degree in 1887. He also studied at the universities of Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris, and he held teaching positions at the University of Oklahoma and Vanderbilt University.

Anderson became a Greek professor at Florida State College in Tallahassee in 1903 and joined the faculty of the University of the State of Florida in Lake City (later to become UF in Gainesville) after the Buckman Act passed in 1905. In 1930 he became the first dean of the Graduate School for UF and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1938.

Facility History

Built in 1913 and originally called Language Hall, Anderson Hall was designed as a multipurpose building, housing the classrooms and offices for the Departments of English, Language, History and Mathematics. It also housed the offices of the Registrar as well as Graduate Studies. The building was renamed in 1949 in honor of James Nesbitt Anderson.

Anderson Hall was designed in collegiate gothic style by architect William A. Edward and was added to the National Register in 1979.

Click here to visit Anderson Hall virtually through UF's campus map

Commemorative Plaque

Narrative as displayed on the commemorative plaque:

Construction of Language Hall began in 1912, and it was completed October 1913. The architect was William A. Edwards of Atlanta, who designed all of the early buildings on campus. The contracting company was Hollady and Clouse of Greensboro, North Carolina, whose bid, including heating, was $38, 815. Language Hall was the home for the core programs of the Humanities: History, Languages (modern and ancient), and Mathematics. When the University College was organized in the 1930s, it provided classroom space for its writing and speaking labs.

Language Hall also served as the main administration building until Tigert Hall was completed in 1950. The president’s office was moved from Thomas Hall to space on the northwest corner of the first floor of Language. This office later was occupied by the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and his staff. The dean of Students, the dean of the Graduate School, the dean of University College, the Registrar, the dean of the University, and the financial aid administrator also had offices in this building.

In 1938, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Yearling, taught a creative writing course on the second floor of Language Hall. The Independent Florida Alligator had its first editorial office on the basement floor. Also Florida Blue Key was organized here. The YMCA had an office, and several of the literary societies met here.

The building was renamed in 1949 to honor James Nesbitt Anderson, professor of Greek and Latin, first dean of Arts and Sciences, and first dean of the Graduate School at the University of Florida. Dr. Anderson was born October 21, 1864, in Laurens County, South Carolina. He attended Wofford College and Vanderbilt University, and received a B.A. in Literature from the University of Virginia in 1886, and an M.A. in Greek and Latin, also from Virginia, the following year. He was a Morgan Fellow at Harvard University and studied at universities in Berlin, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, and Paris. He received his Ph.D. degree in Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit from John Hodgkins University in 1894. After teaching in Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan, and Tennessee, he accepted a position as professor of Greek at Florida State College (Tallahassee) in 1903. With the creation of the University of Florida by the Buckman Act in 1905, Anderson joined the faculty. He was a member of the first faculty when the University opened in Gainesville in September 1906. He also inspired the Latin motto of the University that is on its seal.

Dr. Anderson was a close personal friend of President Murphree, and they worked together in 1909 on the organization of the University into four colleges. Dr. Anderson was named the first dean of Arts and Sciences. There were 82 students in the college at that time. After serving twenty years as dean of Arts and Sciences, he became dean of the Graduate School, a position he held for eight years. Throughout, he served as head of the Department of Ancient Languages and taught Greek and Latin. He retired after thirty-three years at the University, on September 1, 1938. He died June 15, 1945, and was buried in Gainesville.

A generous gift from Kenneth and Janet Keene in 1997, together with state funding, allowed the University to restore Anderson Hall. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Anderson Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places. Click here to read more.