At the heart of Freed-Hardeman University's campus, a 48-year-old auditorium is set to receive not only a new life but also a new name. Previously known as Loyd Auditorium, the beloved venue will officially become the David Thomas Dryden Auditorium when it reopens in 2025.

HENDERSON, Tenn., Aug. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- At the heart of Freed-Hardeman University's campus, a 48-year-old auditorium is set to receive not only a new life but also a new name. Previously known as Loyd Auditorium, the beloved venue will officially become the David Thomas Dryden Auditorium when it reopens in 2025. The building is currently undergoing major renovations made possible by gifts from many FHU alumni including the Dryden family.

"By renovating rather than rebuilding Loyd Auditorium, we honor its rich history while preparing it for the future," FHU President David R. Shannon said. "This extensive renovation, made possible by generous donors, including the Drydens, will modernize all essential systems while preserving the original structure. This revitalized space will continue to be a cornerstone of the FHU experience for the next 50 years, with a new name to honor the foundational gift for the future of this building."    

David Thomas Dryden is remembered by his family as a hard-working, enterprising and courageous man who was "the original family entrepreneur." Born in Bedford County, Tennessee, in 1865, David Dryden moved to Lawrence County in his early 40s. As the story goes, he first came to town riding a horse and towing only a jersey cow, a calf and a foal. He soon built a sustainable dairy farm that was even able to survive the hardships of the Great Depression.

After meeting his wife, Virgie Ann, and beginning to raise their young family, Dryden also taught himself to read using a Bible he had. His readings inspired him to act upon what he learned, and he began searching until he found a congregation who would baptize him according to scripture, allowing him to become a Christian.

"While I did not get the chance to meet my great-grandfather personally, as a fellow entrepreneur, I'd love to go back in time and learn some things from him – like how he got the capital to start a dairy farm and how he struggled to operate it during the depression," Jay Dryden, a member of the FHU Board of Trustees, said.

"Beyond that, he has always been a model of faith in our family," he added. "Finding a Bible, teaching himself to read and then allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him into the truth of God's word shows his true conviction. That he then stepped out on faith and was baptized to begin a relationship with Jesus as an adult is amazing to me. I hope in my own life that I listen to God's Spirit, read His word and, like my great-grandfather, have the courage to always act on what I read and where His Spirit leads."

Members of the Dryden family, along with Freed-Hardeman University, now choose to honor David Dryden's legacy of faith as well as his entrepreneurial spirit by re-naming the FHU facility Dryden Auditorium.

Since 1977 the auditorium has been the setting for many pivotal FHU experiences, such as daily chapel, Makin' Music, the annual Lectureship, Horizons, commencement ceremonies, benefit dinners and more. Large-scale renovations to the venue are currently underway and involve numerous additions and improvements, including brand new paint, ceiling tiles, stage and curtains, flooring, seating, a sound and audio visual system, an elevator, expanded restrooms and a portico for arrivals and departures.

To date, interior demolition has been successfully completed, and installation of critical infrastructure systems, including electrical, plumbing, audio-visual, sound and lighting, has begun. Phase one, encompassing all interior renovations, is projected to reach completion by March 2025.

The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers associate, bachelor's, master's, specialist and doctoral degrees. More information is available at fhu.edu.

Media Contact

Dawn Bramblett, Freed-Hardeman University, 731-608-7650, dawn@bramblettgrp.com, fhu.edu

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SOURCE Freed-Hardeman University