Collings Hall

Collings Hall is the home of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. In 2009 and 2010, Collings Hall was enlarged and underwent major renovations. The Rainbolt family and other donors made the expansion possible. Jeannine Rainbolt was a graduate of OU in education and taught in the Oklahoma City Public Schools. A civic leader, she was a generous supporter of the fine arts, the Western History Collections and the women's basketball team at OU. A voracious reader, she was dedicated to life-long learning. She was the first women to have a college named for her at the university. , Dr. Ellsworth Collings, for whom the building is named, began his education in a one room schoolhouse in rural Missouri. After graduating from the University of Missouri he embarked on a brief career as a school administrator in rural Missouri. He later earned his Ph.D. from the Teacher's College at Columbia University. , Dr. Collings came to OU's School of Education in September 1922 and was named dean in 1926. Under his leadership, a degree-granting College of Education was formed in 1929. Collings served as Dean of the College until 1946. Enrollment rose during his tenure from 100 to over 1000. As dean, Dr. Collings also oversaw the University School, transforming the institution into a school for grades K-12. He retired as dean in 1946 but continued to teach until 1958. , Dr. Collings wrote An Experiment with a Project Curriculum, which was hailed at the time as one of the most significant contributions to educational literature and the most important work on the subject of rural schooling. University School also served as the forum for many of Dr. Collings' progressive experiments in education. , He helped redefine the purpose of the professional education of teachers, urging the expansion of practical teacher training. The College of Education has been recognized as one of the most highly ranked in the nation, by U.S. News and World Report and professional surveys, and was the first in Oklahoma to establish a post-baccalaureate program for teachers in education. Collings Hall includes the Sandra O'Brien Bell Tower named in honor of a distinguished Houston civic leader and OU education graduate. Every time its historic bell tolls we are reminded of the crucial role played by educators in our society.