People walking through Booth Library may feel they’ve been taken back to their parents’ college days after passing by a replica “dorm room” with a spotty bed, old-school dresser, old records, spunky green shoes and matching nighty.

A replica of a 1970s-era Pemberton Hall dorm room was reconstructed over the past academic year by the Historical Administration of Students as a final project.

The historical administration is a graduate program in history.

From the abandoned attic on the fourth floor of Pemberton Hall to the basement of Booth Library, there’s been a bit of furniture moving.

Bob Hillman, a university archivist at Booth Library, helped students with the project over the past year.

“I was involved because some of the information they got from the archives,” Hillman said. “Some of the objects and things that are on display are from the library archives.”

The goal of the project was to recreate what an old dorm room would have looked like. The ’70s era of Pemberton was chosen because students felt that earlier periods like the ’20s may have been a bit too old, plus the abandoned floor in Pemberton and Booth Library archives yielded the right combo of items to make the room flow.

Most of the work was done in a workshop and then brought to Booth afterwards. Hillman then assisted in hauling the furniture into Booth and into place.

The mystique of Pemberton is what was intended to be captured in the replica, Hillman said.

“It’s a century old. Many people like the ambiance and feel of it. Its more of a homey setting,” Hillman said.

Tradition can also be attributed to many ladies staying there versus the newer, up-to-date residence halls, he said.

“Students that live there now have parents who lived there and grandparents who lived there,” Hillman said.

The current lack of modernization does not bother Amanda Feder, a senior communications studies major.

This past year Feder lived on the third floor, which, like the rest of the residence hall, does not have an elevator or central air conditioning.

Feder said it is not a problem for her.

“I was a camp counselor, so that doesn’t really bug me. If you have a box fan you’re fine. Moving out can be a hassle, though,” Feder said. “I will be back there in the fall.”

Pemberton won Feder’s parents over as well. While touring, the very look of Pemberton won them over. The occupants helped as well.

“The girls there were so sweet and welcoming,” Feder said.

For their next project, the HAS will construct an ancient Greece exhibit in the Fall, Hillman said.

“There’s a symposium on Greek culture, and they’ll be putting up an exhibit in the library dealing with that,” Hillman said.

Joshua Bryant can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].