Brunoniana

The Smith Swimming Center was opened in 1973, replacing the 70 year old Colgate Hoyt pool. The architect of the building was Daniel Tully, the builder, Paul Hodess, and the designer, George R. Whitten. Two million one-inch tiles cover the floor and sides of the pool, which is 50-meters long with a 25-yard course at one end. The building with prefabricated sides and a roof with circus-tent peaks was erected in seven weeks, a very short time, preceded by a very long time since 1943, when coach Joe Watmough was encouraged to come to Brown with the idea that a new swimming pool was soon to be built. For want of a name, the new pool was called “the natatorium,” until March 24, 1976, when the pool was dedicated and named for H. Stanton Smith ’21, a benefactor active in alumni affairs and his wife, Marjorie Brown Smith, who had been acting director of physical education at Pembroke College.