Western Reserve Academy remained open for another twenty-one years, until 1903, when it was forced to close due to financial problems. In 1916, however, the school reopened due to the graces of benefactor James Ellsworth, a former student and Hudson resident who had returned after making millions of dollars in the coal industry. The "Ellsworth Era" was marked by significant construction, namely Seymour Hall (the newly appointed academic building), the Bicknell Gymnasium, and Ellsworth Hall, a dormitory and dining hall. In 1922, Western Reserve Academy became an all-boys' institution, staying this way for fifty years, until 1972, when girls were introduced into the junior class, once again becoming a co-ed institution.