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Gaston Hall is an auditorium located on the third and fourth floors of the north tower of
Gaston Hall is often referred to as the "jewel in the crown" of Georgetown's campus due to its ornate interior and grand adornments. The ceiling line bears the
Healy Hall
Healy Hall is a National Historic Landmark and the flagship building of the main campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Constructed between 1877 and 1879, the hall was designed by Paul J. Pelz and John L. Smithmeye ...
on Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
's main campus in Washington, D.C. Named for Georgetown's first student, William Gaston
William J. Gaston (September 19, 1778 – January 23, 1844) was a jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina. He was the author of the official state song of North Carolina, The Old North State (song), "The Old North State". Gas ...
, who also helped secure the university's federal charter, Gaston Hall was completed in 1901, around twenty years after the construction of the building within which it is housed.
The 740-seat hall (including orchestra and balcony) is today used for numerous occasions including convocation
A convocation (from the Latin ''wikt:convocare, convocare'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλησία ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a specia ...
s and honorary degree ceremonies, theatrical and musical performances, and speeches. Gaston Hall has gained a reputation for hosting prominent heads of state, political leaders, and other public figures.
Architecture
Gaston Hall is often referred to as the "jewel in the crown" of Georgetown's campus due to its ornate interior and grand adornments. The ceiling line bears the coats of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...
of the sixty Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
universities in the world at the time of Gaston's construction, all beneath a decorated wood ceiling. In addition, a number of classical allegorical scenes that fill the walls were painted freehand (without a stencil
Stencilling produces an image or pattern on a surface by applying pigment to a surface through an intermediate object, with designed holes in the intermediate object. The holes allow the pigment to reach only some parts of the surface creatin ...
) by Francis Schroen, a Jesuit Brother who was a reputed interior designer and painter of Catholic institutions and several other rooms within Healy Hall. Behind the stage are paintings of Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
, goddess of wisdom, and a "classically draped male." He painted two large mural
A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' ...
s above the stage, the left symbolically depicting Morality, Faith, and Patriotism, and the right depicting Art, Alma Mater
Alma mater (; : almae matres) is an allegorical Latin phrase meaning "nourishing mother". It personifies a school that a person has attended or graduated from. The term is related to ''alumnus'', literally meaning 'nursling', which describes a sc ...
, and Science.
The center of the stage contains a wooden decorative structure that displays the Georgetown University seal and an IHS Christogram
A Christogram () is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ, traditionally used as a Christian symbolism, religious symbol within the Christian Church.
One of the oldest Christograms is the C ...
. This Christogram was the center of some controversy when it was covered by a piece of black plywood at the request of the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
for a speech by President Obama on the stage of Gaston Hall.
Hosted speakers
Due to its significant place in Georgetown's history, Gaston Hall has hosted numerous prominent individuals to speak. In addition to university events such as thePhilodemic Society
The Philodemic Society is a student debating society at Georgetown University founded in 1830 by Father James Ryder, S.J. The Philodemic is among the oldest such societies in the United States, and is the oldest secular student organization a ...
's Merrick Debate and the South Asian cultural show Rangila, in recent times, Gaston Hall has been host to (among others):
Politics and government:
* Senator Elizabeth Warren
Public life:
* Entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (; born May 14, 1984) is an American businessman who co-founded the social media service Facebook and its parent company Meta Platforms, of which he is the chairman, chief executive officer, and controlling sharehold ...
* Comedian John Mulaney
John Edmund Mulaney (born August 26, 1982) is an American Stand up comedian, stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Mulaney first rose to prominence for his work as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy ...
See also
*List of Georgetown University buildings
This is a list of buildings on Georgetown University Campuses of Georgetown University, campuses. Georgetown University's undergraduate campus and the medical school campus, together comprising the main campus, and the Law Center campus, are loca ...
References
{{Authority control Georgetown University buildings University and college buildings completed in 1901 1901 establishments in Washington, D.C.