© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Central State University's tower: Hope in the rubble of 1974 tornado

Picture of the Walter G. Sellers Alumni Tower and Galloway Hall on the campus of Central State University.
Kathryn Mobley
/
WYSO
On April 3, 1974, the Walter G. Sellers Alumni Tower on the campus of Central State University, was one of the few university structures that stood in defiance of a deadly F6 tornado. Galloway Hall was destroyed.

On April 3, 1974, the tornado that struck Xenia and the town of Wilberforce wiped out 80% of Central State University's campus.

A black and white photo of a wide shot of the Central State University campus after the 1974 tornado.
Greene County Historical Society
Central State University campus after the 1974 tornado.

“By the dinner hour, Galloway Hall was no more. But the tower stood tall. It is a symbol of the resilience of this community,” says Mike Gormley.

Image, in the foreground, CSU associate communications professor Mike Gormley talks into a microphone on a stand. Behind him are special guests. First row, Robert Marcus (far left) retired CSU math professor, Nathan Bouldin (second to left) class of '74, CSU President Alex Johnson (second to right), Artrell Allen (far right), singer and student. Second row, Amy Hobbs (far left) dean College of Humanitites, Arts and Social Sciences, Anareean Covington (second to left) student, opening prayer.
Kathryn Mobley
/
WYSO
CSU associate communications professor Mike Gormley talks to crowd of students, professors and area residents. Behind him are special guests. First row, Robert Marcus (far left) retired CSU math professor, Nathan Bouldin (second to left) class of '74, CSU President Alex Johnson (second to right), Artrell Allen (far right), student and alma mater singer. Second row, Amy Hobbs (far left) dean College of Humanitites, Arts and Social Sciences, Anareean Covington (second to left) student, opening prayer.

He's a mass communications assistant professor at CSU. The tower he’s referring to the Walter G. Sellers Alumni Tower, one of the few university structures that stood in defiance of the deadly storm.

Wednesday afternoon on April 3, 2024, the 50th anniversary of when that tornado hit, Gormley led a special memorial service outside the tower. Students, faculty and community residents honored those who rebuilt the campus as well as those who perished.

Freshman Laura Lee Hull, she died when the tornado struck her car as she drove from campus down route 42 to her family home in Xenia. Maintenance worker Ralph Smith, the tornado struck his truck on Stephenson Road. CSU Credit Union treasurer Evelyn Rockhold, flying debris hit and killed her as she attempted to leave campus. Postal clerk Oscar Robinson died when the tornado demolished the Wilberforce post office.

The destroyed Wilberforce post office.
Greene County Historic Society
The destroyed Wilberforce post office.

“It was a beautiful day before that, sun was shining, it was raining lightly,” said Obie Houston, a senior in 1974. On April 3 at 4:38 pm, he and his girlfriend were on campus in her dorm room in Green Hall. That’s when he noticed the trees wildly bowing outside her window.

“I saw the trees go down and come up. Went down and came up and I said, get behind the bed," Houston recalled. "There was a lot of screaming in the hallway, then a loud noise came up.”

According to the National Weather Service, the deadly storm was part of a Super Outbreak of 148 tornadoes affecting 13 states in the eastern United States.

A minute later, Houston emerged from behind the bed and ventured into the dorm lobby.

“All the glass was on the floor. The curtains were gone. Half of the trees were gone behind Green Hall. There were curtains in the trees," Houston said. He teared up behind the memories.

"We walked down the street. There were cars rolled up against the industrial arts building," he said. "The water tower that was back there was laid over into the infirmary. Roofing hanging off the building and every time the wind blew, like it is now, the girls would start screaming. That was the most unnerving thing— the constant blood curdling screams.”

Defying expectations, Central State did not close

The tornado destroyed 80-percent of Central State. But what really shocked and impressed the business major was what happened on campus after the storm– amid predictions CSU’s two week shutdown would actually be permanent.

The faculty, they got their schedule together and we had classes on Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes class started at 8 at night or 9 at night. You know, they were going 'til ten or eleven o'clock," Houston said. "They made up every minute. And a lot of people said, oh, y'all didn't get all your time. You didn't finish. We made up every minute, every minute. So I was so proud of our staff and faculty. They brought us through that."

Color picture of Obie and Cynthia Houston in front of the Walter G. Sellers Alumni Tower on the campus of Central State University. Obie was a CSU senior in 1974 when a deadly tornado ripped through the campus, Wilberforce and Xenia.
Kathryn Mobley
/
WYSO
Obie and Cynthia Houston in front of the Walter G. Sellers Alumni Tower on the campus of Central State University.
Obie was a CSU senior in 1974 when a deadly tornado ripped through the campus, Wilberforce and Xenia.

Houston says this experience solidified why Central State is so important to him. "Central State, it's just family. I love this university. This is home."

Kathryn Mobley is an award-winning broadcast journalist, crafting stories for more than 30 years. She’s reported and produced for TV, NPR affiliate and for the web. Mobley also contributes to several area community groups. She sings tenor with World House Choir (Yellow Springs), she’s a board member of the Beavercreek Community Theatre and volunteers with two community television operations, DATV (Dayton) and MVCC (Centerville).

Email: kmobley@wyso.org
Cell phone: (937) 952-9924