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Currier Hall

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[[Category:Student Housing 2.0]][[Image:Currier.jpg||right||thumb||Currier Hall]]Currier is a dormitory on the [[Berkshire Quad]], unique both in architecture and traditional inhabitants. Three floors rise above ground and one, despite being called the basement, is below ground on the quad side but opens into air on all other sides. It is one of the core [[Odd Quad]] buildings, in that, along with [[Fitch]], it traditionally houses upperclassmen of the [[Deviant]] and [[WARP]] culture type, and others who enjoy their company.
As all dorms of the Berkshire Quad, Currier is served primarily by the [[Driscoll]] dining hall.
==Architecture==
''For Currier floor plans, see WSO/plansCampus Life' s [http://wso.williams.edu/plansdean/campus_life/house?id=7 currier.html Currier page].''
=== The Top Three Floors ===
The idiosyncratic layout of Currier's interior gives rise to some strange features. Two very large stairwells of slate steps that provide access from the first to third floor occupy a large volume of the space inside. The stairwells divide Currier into north, center, and south suites, with about six rooms on each of these suites. The north- and south-west corner rooms are quite coveted for their size, light, and views of the quad.
The common areas on the top three floors are the negative space amidst the odd positioning of Currier's rooms. The center halls of the second and third floors have no common space of their own at all; the first has an enormous room that is typically the house gathering space. On the north and south ends of the buildings, common areas take a different shape depending on the floor. The second floor's are quite awkward, and defy description. See the plan [http://wso.williams.edu/plansdean/campus_life/floorplans/floor?id=24 currier_2.jpg here], or just imagine a rectangular room with a big bite taken out of the top.
=== The Basement ===
The crown jewel of the basement is, without a doubt, the [[#The Ballroom|ballroom]], which deserves its own section below.
Rooms in Currier are high-ceilinged and generally large, with the most coveted facing north and featuring balconies that, unfortunately, nearly abut [[Route 2]]. Champion among basement quarters is B11, the gargantuan double in the northwest corner, which has an old (sealed) fireplace above which is fixed a large stone face.
=== The Ballroom ===
 
''See main article: [[Currier ballroom]]''
Occupying the lion's share of Currier's basement is its ballroom, a one-of-a-kind social space on the Williams campus. After [[Goodrich Hall]], the ballroom is probably the second most booked space on campus for social and arts events, and it has played host to all manner of activity.
 
From the center door facing the Berkshire Quad, a grand staircase sweeps down into the basement, pausing on a landing to offer a glimpse of the ballroom through a semi-circular window. To the left lies remainder of the descent to the ballroom door. Inside is a space like none other on campus: a throw rug covers the middle of the floor, and, if all has not been moved aside for the night's revelry, on it sits an enormous wooden table surrounded by high-backed, plush-cushioned chairs. In the far corner is one of the campus's few grand [[pianos]], which I have heard is kept in relatively good tune.
 
A large skylight once spanned nearly all of the ballroom's ceiling; alas, for concerns about its integrity it has long had black platforms laid over it so that you would not even notice this feautre unless you knew to look. During daytime, however, large french windows along the east wall cast ample light across the room to mirrors on the far wall designed to mimic their transparant sisters. Even the real windows, however, offer no relief from clammy air during a hot dance: they are alarmed and cannot be opened without special dispensation from [[Security]] (which can be obtained by prior arragment, and is worth it for dances and hot days).
 
The ballroom has seen it all; events of all kinds that Williams students have dreamed up over the years, and every year student groups clamor to reserve the space for more. Arguments between those with scheduling control over the space (currently [[House Coordinators]]) and those who wish to use it have flared in the past, as the ballroom is a space that the campus depends on, but inhabitants of Currier are frequently of a mind to control its use, as noise from events are quite audible to the basement rooms. Thus does Currier's ballroom find herself building a history of torrid flings with events of all persuasions, but always the loyal mother of the Odd Quad, true to them in her own way.
 
Some events known to have taken place in the ballroom are listed below:
 
*Perennial plays and one-acts by [[Cap and Bells]], the student theater organization.
*Before it got large enough to need [[Goodrich Hall]], [[Queer Bash]] was held in the ballroom.
*Occasional [[contradance|contradances]], especially the Valentine's Day and Halloween Contradance, which benefit from the ballroom ambiance.
*[[Sarah! Croft '04]] gathered actors to perform a number of murder mysteries -- some of which were her original works -- that unfolded in the ballroom, to the delight of the [[Deviants]] and other friends.
*A resident of Currier held a private party, notable for a hired stripper, during the [[fall of 2003|Fall 2003]] -- and got away with it.
*A duel of honor, by epee, took place here between John Mugno '05 and Gavin McCormick '05 after the Valentine's Day Contradance of [[spring 2004]]. John won by a touch.
==Inhabitants==
== Fun Facts ==
<!--Please see talk page about the bathroom fact!-->*With two bathrooms and about 18 residents per first-through-third floor, Currier features the highest resident/bathroom/resident ratio on campus.*Currier Ballroom once housed the [[WARP]] stash: a collection of weapons, shields, and other armaments used for [[bop-swording]].
*The roof of the Currier Ballroom is the easiest to access on campus. Climb through the window of the spiral staircase room and there you are! Great for a house party, sunbathing, and making a snow sculpture in a strange place for (half) your dormmates to see.
StrayCashew
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