The original home of the Ithaca Conservatory of Music (which became Ithaca College), the Boardman House was a hub of activity in the 1950s and '60s. It even housed a snack bar, which the 1958 Cayugan called IC’s “emporium of social relaxation.” Mary Arlin '61, who gave a tour of the downtown campus during Alumni Weekend, reminisced about the building that held the administrative offices of the college and several music studios.

“As a music major, I spent a lot of time in the building, because I took brass class and French horn with Professor Robert Prins, and I took woodwinds with Professor Don Wells. I was also on student council, and we had meetings with Dean Clark in his office. I was also active in the women’s student government, and those meetings were held in the dean of women’s office. Drama students walked through the building to get to the Little Theatre. If you were a member of the interfraternity council, you were there to meet with your advisor. There was a snack bar in the basement, and you could access it either from inside the Boardman House or from the library. There were a lot of students there, particularly on the first floor. There weren’t too many students who were wandering up to see the president.