Hutchins Hall

Hutchins Hall by Michael Barera (August 2013). Photo courtesy: Local Wiki

The Heart of the Law Quad

by Danielle Depakakibo

The University of Michigan’s Law Quadrangle is known for its old-time beauty, sprawling lawn, and at times, even its comparison to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. But not many know about the buildings that comprise the school’s iconic lot. Hutchins Hall, at the quadrangle’s forefront, is the law school’s main classroom and administrative building (Barera and Vielmetti). Named after the university’s fourth president and third law school dean, Harry Burns Hutchins, the hall continues to serve as one of the oldest and most noteworthy sites on campus (Bean).

Harry Burns Hutchins by Wikipedia Contributors (December 2022). Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia

With the generous donation of his entire $20-million estate (about $360 million in today's dollars) to the UM Law School, Michigan alumnus and preeminent scholar of corporate law, William Wilson Cook bankrolled both Hutchins Hall and the other three buildings that comprise the law quadrangle (Dodge). More specifically, Hutchins Hall began construction in the early 1920s and finally concluded in 1933. In terms of its Hogwarts-like resemblance, its framework was modeled with gothic architecture in mind, after English colleges like Oxford and Cambridge. Crews utilized granite and Indiana limestone while building to accomplish this goal (Woodhouse). When the building was finished, it was named with William Cook's preference, after Harry Burns Hutchins, the Dean of the Law School from 1895 to 1910 and President of the University from 1909 to 1920 (“Hutchins Hall”). Hutchins impacted both the law school and university significantly, which Cook believed should be recognized.

For over 25 years, Harry Burns Hutchins held close ties to the University of Michigan. A book retelling his history, Harry Burns Hutchins and the University of Michigan, further expands on this fact, saying “the University was his life; his life cannot be dissected out of the history of the institution in which he lived” (Smith). As dean of the law school, he made several changes concerning the coursework and attempting to improve the prestige of the school itself. Under Hutchins’s direction, academic standards were raised, as the school adopted a change from a two year course into a three year course. Most importantly, the Michigan law school took on a leading role in the in-depth study of various legal cases, decreasing the use of formal lectures as the standard method of legal instruction (Lach). As president of the university, Hutchins was under pressure to perform well after succeeding President Angell, and was able to do so, with the Hutchins administration proving to be a period of unprecedented growth. With such actions as strengthening the alumni association, generating additional courses, and creating a separate graduate school from the undergraduates, his time as president was monumental in the development of Michigan’s present-day campus (Lach).

Delving into the Hutchins name, it fits the man himself and the multiple influential actions he performed throughout his life. Hutchins is of Old Southern English descent as a pet name for Hugh, meaning “mind, thought, spirit” (Campbell). Harry is of Germanic descent from the name Heimerich, meaning “home” and “power, ruler” (“Harry”). Serving as the law school dean as well as president in a location he called home for over sixty years, it is clear the man embodied his name's meaning. It was only through his sharp mind and tough spirit was he able to carry out these various achievements within his lifetime, fulfilling the definition behind Hutchins.

Celebrating ninety years in 2023 after its completion in 1933, Hutchins Hall has become a landmark location within the law quadrangle as a unifying space for members to learn, network, and gather. With multiple offices, classrooms, and even a practice courtroom, it is clear to see how meaningful the hall has been in serving the community for almost a century. As it was constructed with a view to future expansion, the structure still has space to grow and develop, but is also able to celebrate a long and distinguished history of supporting law students and administrators alike.

Works Cited

Barera, Michael, and Edward Vielmetti. “Ann Arbor: Hutchins Hall.” LocalWiki, 2015, https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Hutchins_Hall.

Barera, Michael. “Hutchins Hall.” Local Wiki, Aug. 2013, https://localwiki.org/ann-arbor/Hutchins_Hall. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.

Bean, Walton. “Harry Burns Hutchins and the University of Michigan.” The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, vol. 39, no. 1, 1952, p. 147., https://doi.org/10.2307/1902883.

Campbell, Mike. “Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Hugh.” Behind the Name, https://www.behindthename.com/name/hugh.

Dodge, Samuel. “Historical Photos Show Beauty, Evolution of University of Michigan Law Quad.” Mlive, 25 Mar. 2023, https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/03/historical-photos-show-beauty-evolution-of-university-of-michigan-law-quad.html.

"Harry". Baby Name Details. BabyCentre UK, https://www.babycentre.co.uk/babyname/1006365/harry.

"Hutchins Hall". Bentley Historical Library: University of Michigan. A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan Campus, https://bentley.umich.edu/legacy-support/campus_tour/hutchins.php.

Lach, Jr., Edward L. “Hutchins, Harry Burns (1847-1930), Lawyer and Educator.” American National Biography Online, 2000, https://doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0900375.

Smith, Shirley W. Harry Burns Hutchins and the University of Michigan. University of Michigan Press, 1951.

Wikipedia Contributors. “Harry Burns Hutchins.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Burns_Hutchins. Accessed 6 Apr. 2023.

Woodhouse, Kellie. “A Look Back at the University of Michigan Law Quad's First Buildings.” AnnArbor.com, 25 Aug. 2013, https://www.annarbor.com/news/a-retrospective-of-the-university-of-michigan-lawyers-club/.

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