O’Connell House

By tim d. | Last Updated: September 29, 2003

Located in the center of the dorm halls on upper campus is the O’Connell House. I have yet to enter into this building because it is being renovated so we will be able to reside in there. Walking along the street outside of Kosta, behind the O’Connell House you are able to enter into the back yard of the house.

There are two places that particularly attract my attention. The only bench that is in the most tucked away part of the yard is one of my favorite places to sit, think and watch nature. The bench is made out of wood and is supposed to be able to swing with ease, though; it seems to have difficulty in this endeavor. Once sitting on the bench, I noticed that the right arm rest is being torn away and that the left is gone. The arms rest is made out of wood also. To the left of the bench there is black metal stairway leading up to a back door of the house. There is a pathway leading from the bench out to the street. The pathway is made of a stone that resembles flagstone. There is a circular pit with shrubbery in it that cuts the path from the bench out towards the street. To the right and behind the bench there are red brick walls. The wall behind the bench has ivy covering a small part of it. There are several trees that have various squirrels chasing each other along and throughout the branches. It is good for one to have a peaceful place where he or she can go and ponder things.

From the bench, walking back towards the street is the way to arrive at my second favorite spot on the O’Connell House. Before leaving the back yard, you take a right and are able to go upon the roof of a room of the house. It is not the most comfortable spot to sit and read. The roof is made out of black shingles, dark as the sky at night, speckled with acorns and pine needles like stars. I like to observe people from this loft position if I am bored with my reading. On a sunny day you can see people lying out on the grass on top of their towels or blankets. This is a great spot from which to view the stars. It must be a clear night to see the constellations. The trees surrounding the building perfectly block out the street lights, facilitating the process of star gazing.

Comment | Share this Article | Subscribe