In 1959, Ford hall opened as temporary housing. Administration soon realized that Ford was going to become permanent housing as the demand for on-campus living was increasing. Ford housed 150 freshmen and sophomore female students and was built at a cost of $530,000.
Ford hall was named for Ellen Ford who was born in 1865 and graduated with her Master of Arts degree in Latin from Syracuse University in 1894. She served Eastern from 1900 to 1934. Miss Ford taught Latin and German, and became the first dean of the Teachers College, serving from 1918 to 1934. She served as President Livingston Lord’s “most important assistant” as she was principally responsible for the reorganization of the institution from a normal school to a teachers college in 1921. Miss Ford passed away on June 13, 1948 at her retirement home in Syracuse, New York.
