Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-05-29
Correspondence Of the Phoenix.
AMIIERsT. Mass. NAV 10.

Mr.. EDITOR :-.tmhcrst College has to-day
celebrated another of those occasions which have
of late been somewhat frequent in her history
the completion of new building,-n this in
stance the completion of two new buildings /;
East College to supply the place of the dormi-
tory that was burned in January 1857, and vii
liston Hall, which occupies the site of the burned
dormitory, and is devoted to a variety of pur-
poses. The new dormitory is larger and in ev-
cry way more commodious than the old one
1t cost $4,000, nearly thousand dollars less
than the estimated expense, fact worthy of be-
ing put on record as almost unprecedented in
the history of public ediices. Wiliston Hall
was erected at the sole expense Of Samuel Viii
lston of Easthampton. whose name was already
inseparably associated with that of Amherst Col
lege, as one ofits most constant and liberal bene
factors The first floor of this building is occu-
pied by suite of rooms devoted to instruction
in chemistry, and including laboratory, lecture
room, fire proof vault, professors studio and
everything else that is needed to render it per-
feet These rooms have been furnished at Mr..
Williston's expense. who gave carte blanche for
the purpose. 1t is confidently asserted that thew
are not equalled by any other suite of chemical
rooms in the United States, and in Europe.
The second and third stories of Williston Hall
are occupied by spacious rooms, two on the sec
ond floor and one on the third, for the use OF
the students and alumni. What is the whole
amount of Mr.. Williston's generosity in this in
stance do not know but should Judge it not to
vary much from 100000.
The great feature of the occasion was an ad.
dress by the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher lie
was graduated here, about twenty five years ago
and has been repeatedly solicited to return to
his aima mater as orator on various occasion,
but has never till now actually accepted and ful
filed an appointment. He seemed determined
to atone for past remissncss by doing his yer,
best. He was in one of his happiest moods anc
for about an hour held his audience spell-bounC
ny such an extemporaneous speech as no ont
but he can make. His subject was New Eng
land character and the sources from which it i,
desired lie handled it in great variety OF
styles. In some of the powerful passages h,
lifted up his voice like the roaring of might,
watcrs,in others he was musical as Apollo's lutte
Eloquencc, humor, Wit, poetry, pathos, and all
the other weapons of the orator, were employed
by turns and welded with a masters hand.
In a speech at the dinner table, Mr.. Beechel
told some most interesting "reminiscences of hi.
early career as speaker. His first public eff.
fort was temperance address delivered in Brat
tleboro while he was yet an under graduate. In
those days, he said, they paid his expenses when
he went abroad to lecture As he was at that
particular time in great need of some new books,
which his fathers limited means would not al
low him to have, he footed it all the way from
Amherst to Brattleboro, and, with the stage
fare which he so saved, bought the needful vol
umes.
The completion of the two new buildings
which have been dedicated to-day enables AM
herst College to offer greater advantages to stu
dents than ever before Citizens of Vermont,
who wU not send their sons to Nlddleburv or
Burlington, as they ought to do, can do no bet
ter for them than to send them here. PHI. W.