Woodburn Hall home to racial Benton Murals

Over the years, Woodburn Hall has transformed from the home of business and economics to the home of political science and two of the controversial Benton murals.\nIn Woodburn Hall Room 100, two murals overlook the large lecture room. According to the plaque in the room, the murals were originally part of the Century of Progress exhibition at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and were placed in the room in 1941. The paintings are part of a collection called "Social History of the State of Indiana," by Thomas Hart Benton. There are more murals, 16 of the 22-part series, down the street from Woodburn Hall at the IU Auditorium.\nThe murals have been criticized for their content, as they depict scenes from Indiana history, including a panel named "Parks, the Circus, the Klan, the Press," which shows members of the Ku Klux Klan burning a cross.\nSenior political science student Adam James said he does not mind having class in Woodburn Hall 100.\n"I don't (feel distracted by the mural) because I understand the history behind it," James said. "It's a part of our history; it's not something you can deny or cover up."\nAs a political science major, James said he has had six to eight classes in Woodburn Hall in the past two years. He said he thinks criticism of the murals is mostly based on misinterpretation, but can understand why it has drawn such adverse opinions.\n"At first glance, it's going to tick people off," James said. "It's kind of like a Picasso painting." \nWoodburn Hall wasn't always the center of controversy on the IU campus. In fact, it wasn't even always called Woodburn Hall.\nWhen Herman B Wells was president of IU, Woodburn Hall was called the Business and Economics Building, according to the June 1942 issue Alumni Magazine. The Business and Economics Building was renamed Woodburn Hall to honor James Albert Woodburn, a professor of history from 1890 to 1921 and a research professor from 1921 to 1924. He was a professor emeritus from 1924 to 1943 and also historian of the University, according the original dedication plaque.\nWhen the building was dedicated to Woodburn on Oct. 24, 1971, Wells participated in the ceremony, according to a copy of the original invitation. \nIn 1980, Woodburn Hall underwent a $3.4 million renovation project, according to a September 1980 Indiana Daily Student article. Classes were moved to the nearby Student Building for two semesters during Woodburn Hall's renovations and the hall is now home to the political science department, said political science professor Ted Carmines, who has been teaching at IU since 1975.\n"(Woodburn Hall) was in a state of disrepair," Carmines said.\nHe said before the renovation, Woodburn Hall did not have central air conditioning, the roof leaked whenever it rained and the heating was inconsistent. The renovation was mostly interior, though, and the outside of the building was cleaned and the roof was repaired.