Johnson Hall, when it was constructed in 1915, was originally designed to house administrative offices and other campus services just like it still does today. The second floor includes the offices of the President, Registrar, Business Manager and all of their related support facilities. All other services were located on the first and basement floors. In its beginnings, Johnson Hall housed the
Guild Theater, major department offices, classrooms and a collections exhibit. At the time when the building was completed the total cost of the project amounted to $103,829.96 making it the most expensive building on campus in 1915. In 1949, renovation removed the Guild Theater whose function was replaced by the "New University Theater" (
Robinson Theater at
Villard Hall). The beloved glass panels on the roof of Johnson were dispersed after the renovation. Some sections of the panels were located at the
Erb Memorial Union until when in 1998 restoration once again moved the stained glass panels. Today some portions of the glass panels can be seen in the Johnson Hall boardroom while others can be seen in the second story windows of
Lawrence Hall. With the late 1960s and early 1970s came the
Counterculture and
anti-war sentiment. Eugene was flooded with anti-war rallies as students began to take a side against the American conflict in
Vietnam. On March 23, 1970 students entered took to Johnson Hall and held an all-night sit-in. Administration allowed the sit-in after talking to the crowd and announcing that as long as the students allowed the administration to return home to their families, they would permit the protestors to remain in the building overnight. The president, however, constantly reminded the students that their occupation of the building was an infraction of the law. According to newspaper reports as many as 200 students spent the night in Johnson Hall. The sit-in continued all day Thursday and by that evening there seemed to be no resolution in sight. President
Robert Clark informed the protesters that he would not allow them to remain in the building for another night. He also told them that if they did not leave peacefully they would be arrested for trespassing. Clark finally made the decision to call the police. Eugene police, backed by
Lane County sheriff's deputies, entered the building from the front and rear doors. Students did not try to resist until they were pulled out of the circle they had formed on the floor of the lobby and handcuffed. After this, chaos erupted at the south entrance of the building while a group of protesters staged a sit-down around the police vans. The police reacted quickly and released tear gas, clearing a way for the vans. It was at that point the
National Guard entered. The crowd of spectators swelled outside Johnson Hall that day to about 700 people after the sit-in was dispersed. Many followed the police vans as they made their hurried exit from campus, throwing rocks, trash and anything they could find. The police and national guard intervention resulted in 61 arrests for trespassing and or disorderly conduct that day. ==Architecture==