Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 133 No. 2 Winter 2011-2012 | Page 13

As a result of the roof issue in 2005, John Brown, the powerhouse superintendent had the building
completely investigated. During the process of investigation, it was discovered that Walker Hall was
long past its lifespan. John Brown began the process of requesting a replacement building. WSD
superintendent, Alex Slappey and John Brown discussed with the Department of Public Instruction,
DPI, about replacing Walker Hall. DPI gave the first approval. The process was then moved over to
Department of Administration, DOA. The DOA approved the request.
The design of the building was contracted to Angus Young. Superintendent Alex Slappey gave Angus
Young a list of requirements for the building that were developed by the administrative team. The
building must be one-floor design mostly for safety and energy efficiency reasons. The building
must be connected to Neesam Gym and to Pie Hall. There would also be additional construction to
connect the Neesam Gym with Huff Hall, the dormitory. All the educational administrators, specialists,
psychological service team members and other support staffs’ offices must be located and clustered
together in one area. The building must have a long-term lifespan. The building must be energy efficient
and have latest in electricity and other wirings for advanced technologies. The building must have an
abundance of natural light to reduce the dependency on artificial lighting. Angus Young submitted at
first three designs for consideration. The administrative team chose the third design that best fit the
requirements listed above and tweaked the design a bit to make it more Deaf friendly and yet more
energy efficient. This became the fourth and final design.

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