Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-29
THE VANDERBILT.
Laying OF the Corner Stone Of the
Great University Yesterday.
Interesting Ceremonies and n Large
Attendance.

Attendance.
Addresses ny bishops McTyeire and
Wrightmsn, Gov. Brown and Chan
eeIIor Morgan.
Notwithstanding the fact that the wealth
er yesterday was as dreary and disagreea-
bic as could well be imagined, a large con-
course of people. assembled on the grounds
of the Vanderbilt University at 3 O'clock
p. NJ, 10 witness the ceremonies attending
the laying of the corner stone of that mag
nificent educational institution.
The splendid band of the 10th Infantry
was in attendance, and gave material aid
to the large corps of singers, under the lead
erslip of Prof. Mcintosh, in furnishing
music for the occasion.
At 1913 Dr. X. A. Young, Secretary Of
the Board of Trust of the University, re-
quested the members of the General Con-
ference, the Board of Trust, the Professors
| of the Vanderbilt University, the Mayor
and members of the City Council, the
members of the press and all ministers of
the gospel who were present, to take posi-
| ton on the platform, and the ceremonies
were begun by the choir singing that beau
| tiful anthem. aThe Earth is the Ldri's. y
Prayer was then offered by Rev. DR.. Hun
ter, OF Arkansas, at the close of which the
band played GOttschalk's "Last Hope. Z"
Bishop McTyeire then deliveredthe follow
ing address:
ADDRESS OF BISHOP M'TYEIRE.
Ladies and Gentlemen: We are met to-
day to lay the cornerstone of the principal
building ofthe Vanderbilt University. This
building will be ITO feet front by 1872. feet
deep. twill contain foryrooms. One lecture
room 80 feet by 40, and six smaller ones, Is
by 80 feet. Ii will have ten professors Off
ces, two cloak rooms, five rooms devoted to
a chemical labratory and apparatus, a libra
~ and museum; rooms for two literary
societies aud chapel 50 by 10 feet.
We have dug down deep to therock-the
solid rock, and we have built upon that
rock, as you see. This, we trust is a
specimen of what the institution is to be.
We have now reached the point where
upon this rock foundation, the brick super
structure is to be raised, three stories high
and sixteen, fifteen and fourteen feet to the
ceilings. i stand upon the foundation OF
the north tower, which is to be $50 feet
high, the south $50. All the contracts for
this building have been awarded except
for the plastering, plumbing and painting
| The house is to be heated with a steam APP
paratus for which the contract has been
let at a cost of $500, with a house emf
nent for its success in such work. This is
the only contract which has not beer
awarded to citizens of Nashville, and the
reason why this contract was not let here
was there were none among us who could
DO the work satisfactorily.
The plans and specifications for this
house were
SUBMITTED TO MR.. Vanderbilt,
and he approved them, but required me &c
add a single clause, which did, and thai
was that all the material to be used in the
building shall be of the best and most sub
stantial character.
The ground covers plat of seventy acres
Many of che older institutions of the East
are s1cribbed, cabined and confined" fOl
want of room. We were, therefore, admOn
ished 10 beware of that contingency. Fol
the beauty Of the prospect you have but Il
look around YOU. South of this is the eli
gible site for a great building like untC
this. When | stand there, / think that j:
the better location; when | stand here.
! think this the better. That location is re
served for purpose. In this generation o.
the next. we hope some kind and mu
nifieent man or woman will cause to b,
erected there a building for the special pur
poses of biblical students; for the present
the commodious mansion that has stOO,
there for years will answer our purpose IL
that respect. On the ground to the soutl
will be the seven professors houses, thu
contracts for which have already beeI
awarded.
"When shall we begin?" We have al
ready begun. On the 18th day of Septem
Der. ground was broken, and we cannot
finish such building in a day. To heW
out these stOneS-tO move them TO theil
places, requires time, for we are building
for the ages. On this point, Mr.. Wander
bilt said TO me with his Characteristic brev
ity and wisdom: at las been a principl,
with me to never build until get ready;
therefore We are to get ready before w
begin, and we shall get ready as fast as w
can.
The Institution is to be called
aTHE Vanderbilt UNIVERSITY"
He did not make this a condition, he di,
not request it, he did not hint it even re
motely; but By reclamation of the people
and the Board of Trust, it was declared
that it ought to be called the Vanderbilt
We asked the permission of Mr.. Vanderbilt
that it should be so done, and he gave hi
consent.
This nomenclature is already established
The William and Mary College in Virgini;
was named after William and Mary of En-
gland; Dartmouth was named in a simiial
manner; so Yale, so Harvard, and so the
Vanderbilt. This is just and right. Lei
the names of men who have done sucl
worthy deeds be perpetuated in the inSti
tutiOns they have founded.
We invoke your cooperation, citizens o
Nashville-people of Tennessee and The
South. We invoke your patience, and W,
invoke your prayers to God without Whose
blessing nothing can prOsper), thai this en-
terprise may be brought to a successful
issue.
The band then PLAYED a selection from
Mozart, at the close of which Gov. Brown
was introduced by Bishop McTyeire.
Address OF GOV. BROWN.
The Governor said he could ask no high
er honor than the distinguished position in
this interesting ceremony which had beer
assigned him. He had expected that hi:
official duties would require his presence
elsewhere, thus depriving him of the pleas
ure of witnessing this ceremony, but
thanks To the elements and the floods, thi:
had not been the case.
This occasion is fraught with Importance
to Tennessee-tot the whole South, the lanC
we love so dearly. (Applause.) He be
iieved that this day had ushered in blessed
morning of promise TO our people. We
have throughout Tennessee, as well a:
throughout the entire South, schools poverty
stricken for the want of means, but tC
these schools, universities and colleges VT
owe all we have attained in letters, the sci
ence and arts. The success of these uni
versities and schools, humble as they are
has been shown in all the learned prOfes
sions, but if, under such adverse 'circum
stances, such fiattering results have beer
! reached, how much more may we expect
from this magnificent institution, the cor
ner-StOne of which we are now about 70
Law?
Established and fOstered by great ant
influential sect, it must and will receive
the concentrated efforts for its success, oil
that pOpulous and potential Church. Mu-
nificently endowed, it will call to its Pro
fessorships the leading talent of the world
and opening wide its doors, will remove
from the pathway of merit and ambition
the barrier of poverty, which cOnsigns SO
many American youths of genius to OBJ
security.