Valentine Hall

Valentine Hall. . , The Seminary constructed this large Romanesque Revival building in 1894-95 as the Seminary's "Recitation Hall." Architect John Dempwolf designed the structure and its counterpart on the Gettysburg College campus which can be seen to the Northeast. The building was designed to serve all the main functions, of classrooms, library, faculty offices and dormitory rooms for students. Its construction marked a period of steady physical expansion which began under Milton Valentine, for whom it is named, a distinguished Lutheran theologian and fourth president of the seminary. Extensively renovated for the seminary's 175th anniversary in 2001, the building now features an expanded facade and state of the art classrooms, faculty and administrative offices, an auditorium, and bookstore. Continuing its pioneering role in theological education, this building hosted the first female faculty member, Bertha Paulssen, a refugee from Nazi Germany who introduced sociology and psychology to the curriculum in the mid 20th Century.