Music Annex Fire

On March 10, 1971, the Music Annex, the last remaining temporary building of those placed on the Hill following World War II, burned to the ground. Although the building was called the Music Annex, it had been occupied by psychology since completion of the Music Building. Psychology Professor Howard Pollio lost 10 years’ work on human language and thinking, and several graduate students lost classroom records and research they had been gathering for advanced degrees. The building had been vandalized by the throwing of two Molotov cocktails through a window and, previously, by a towel set fire in a window, which was found, removed, and extinguished by a custodian.