Trinity's Woodlawn Athletic Dorm

During Trinity's tenure on the westside of the city. The Woodlawn athletic dorm was “a large, modified ranch-style building constructed of natural colored concrete blocks” (“Athletic Dormitory,” 1950). At the time, the dorm was home to twenty men. Including a very successful intramural men’s basketball team known as the ‘River Rats.’ Three of the team members, Chick Womack, Herb Flakenburg, and Francis Meyer also participated in the university’s intercollegiate track and field team.

Life at the Woodlawn athletic dorm seemed to serve as a place of relaxation, a break from the stress of Trinity academics, a place to spend time with teammates. In a 1952 Mirage yearbook photo, eight residents are seen lounging on the front lawn of the athletic dorm. The description of the photo, “The guys at the Athletic Dorm finally find a minute to rest” seems to encapsulate what life was like at the athletic dorm. The Woodlawn athletic dorm seemed to create an environment that promoted leisure while maintaining a competitive spirit.