This building is the oldest academic building still on campus today. Originally housing the Conservatory of Music, the purpose of the building shifted dramatically when the Seminary building was destroyed in 1905. It was used for offices and classrooms until the Administration Building was built. Then it shifted again to meet the needs of the college. For example, during an outbreak of the Spanish Flu in the fall of 1918 it was an infirmary for soldiers in training here. At various times it has housed the Art Department, Admissions, the English Department, and the E-Sports Team.
(2017) The Annex Building: 115 Years [Sundial Summer/Fall 2017, back cover] The Annex Building was constructed in 1902 and opened in 1903 as the home for the Conservatory of Music, and was only the second academic building constructed on campus after the old Seminary Building. It was a modest structure, costing only $6,500 to construct, but included double-insulated walls for soundproofing inside. Despite the insulation, it was often called “The Music Box” because of the sounds of students practicing that could be heard outside the building. When the Seminary Building burned in 1905, the Annex Building provided a space for classes to continue meeting and helped keep Wesleyan open. After the Loar Hall of Music was opened in 1953, various departments took up residence, including the art department, the Office of Admissions, the Writing Center, and the English Department. During World War I, the Annex was converted into a temporary hospital facility to treat cadets of the Student Army Training Corps who had contracted the Spanish Influenza. Today, the building is known as the English Annex, housing the English department and classrooms.