In its early days the college functioned predominantly as a lodging house, or residential hall of residence, for students who were matriculated at other colleges.
The house may then have struggled to have been let as a family residence and for this reason became used as a gentleman's club before becoming a lodging house.
There was a bowling alley under the cigar store and on the second floor was the opera house and a lodging house separated by a wall from the auditorium.