John Jacob Steiger

John Jacob Steiger served as Centre’s director of buildings and grounds from 1930 to 1961. After giving up this job, he was in charge of the gym and football field. Finally, he took the less strenuous job of doing the College’s banking, until ill health forced him into retirement in 1975 at the age of 89. A native of Switzerland, Steiger was called on to work with the drama department in building props and sets for plays, but his greatest notoriety came from the elaborate, mammoth sets he made for Carnival. He constructed everything from castles to a steamboat to the Statue of Liberty to a replica of Old Centre. Steiger died January 19, 1976.