Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-12-04
Letter from Iswa City.
Iowa CRY, Nor. 80. 1865.

Iowa CRY, Nov. 80, 1865.
FRIEyp Looals The Iowa State Uni,
7ersi.y. located at this place, is situated on
an cminence Of land commanding fine
view Of the Iowa river. The grounds, ten
acres in extent. are beautifully adorned with
native fore-t trees, which are yet small.
The main builaing is the old State House.
s,lid stone structure. The University was
first opened for the reception Of students in
1855, b It was closed in l65s, except the
Normal Dept, until 1860, when it was re,
opened Since that time the State has
made appropriations at several times amount
ing in all to $4,000 for the erection Of two
commniions brick structures, known as
North Hall and South Hall, the former for
new chapel hall. which is completed in the
mos, finished style, and is considered 10 con-
tain the finest audience room west Of Chica>
20. The latter is used for society halls and
recitation rooms. AT the last session Of the
Legislature an appropriation Of $1,000 was
made to organize Law Dept. in the Uni
eersi.s, and 10 puschssea law library. This
has beeu effected. The new department oc>
cupies the old chapel in the old State House,
which chapel room is now divided into three
rooms, to wi recitation, library, and room
for law Professors. The department is con-
Quoted by Hon. Geo. G. Wright and Hon.
Chester G. Cole, Judge Of the Supreme
Court, and Prof. Vim. g. Hammond. Per,
hsps no law school in the United States caa
boast better fecul,y. The class now nun.
bers twenty. all young men of good talent
The library is already large, and additions
TO il are being made almost daily. The
method Of teaching is by recitation, accom-
panied by explanations, brief or elaborate
as circumstances require.
o. Tuesday, the oath, at P. n. occurres
the death of our efficient and popular State
Sutx- of Public Instruction, d. Franklin
Wells. His faueral was held at the NJ. (
Church fof which church be was respec
led memier) on the 9th, at O'Clock ?.
On Friday morning . special train came II
from D.s Moinss, on which were Coi. TX
Wright, secretary Of State, Major Rankin
Treasurer OF Sts,e, Col. Coulter, Asst. sups
Pub. Instruction and DIR. c. A. White, Stat
Geolos;ss. Atl2H. . procession was form
ed nj tie University -snd marched 70 ID
residence Il Prof. Wells 10 the following Or
a.4. State .olsesxs and tea.:bers OF me = o.
.ersi,y. Law Dssa. Joupg meO of the ssa'
University, Young ladils Of State In'ser.lt,
Arrived at the house, tie psocess'oV 'oi'o"
ed the corpse to the church, when s mo
rough hopeful sermon vAs preached ~ ANes
IS. n. Fellows, Prof Of the Sorsal Derf
Of the State University. Wien the sermon
was concluded the corpse was viewed, alter
which it was conveyed to the cemetery znd
inferred. there to await the trumpet SOUND
u tie first resurrection.
pr,f. Wells Was born in Oneida c., n. L.,
in 1879. lie graduated at the Normal School,
and Immediately took charge OF the public
SC COL il Muscaiine. subsequently, be came
to iowa City, where he was for ten years en-
ga ,ed il the public schools, after which he
was appointed aud elected to The onice he
SO wy,lhily filled until death.
De SoTo.