The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-06

miles from Boston, is an institution,
which, though young in years, ranks
with, If not above, the best of its kind
in the world. The name of this insti-
tuition is Wellesley College, and its OBJ
ject is the higher education OF women.
II combines all the advantages of the
male colleges of our land with the con-
venienccs and luxury of any ladies'
school. As this college Is, even in its
infancy, now at the head of our female
colleges with the fair prospect of soon
standing prominently forth as the in
stituiion which offers TO young ladies'
all the advantages of higher educa-
ton which are offered to young men
and as very little is known in regard 10
| it in your quiet state where the male
colleges require so much attention that
| little time can be devoted TO investiga-
ting the advantages of female culture
offered by other states, we will at
tempt to give brief description of this
college, its surroundings, appointments,
etc. About thirteen years ago Mr.. ii. +.
Durant OF Boston, purchased park Of
three hundred acres in Wellesley, and
the landscape gardener was set to the
work of Identifying and adjoining it,.
After a careful scientific and medical
investigation this town had been sew
eral wears before declared the most
healthful in the state of Massachusetts.
The grounds chosen were especially
ADAPTED to the work of the landscape
gardener, and for years his work was
carried on until avenues, walks, drives,
parks, lawns, valleys, hills, groves and
gardens were mingled in the most per-
feet harmony. After the work on the
grounds had been completed the atten-
ton of the founder was turned toward
the building. Four more years were
given to the construction of the college
edifice. The building itself is in the
form of a double Latin cross covered
with mansard roof and relieved from
all stiffness by towers, bays and porch
es. Its extreme length is four hundred
sevcnty-five fleet. Its extreme width
at the wings is one hundred fifty feet
Its general height is four stories, to
which in several places fifth is added
1t is built of brick with freestone trim
mings. More than seven million bricks
were used in its construction. Be
tween ten and eleven miles of steam
watei and gas pipes furnish it will
heat, water and light, and it has nearly
mile of halls and corridors. Two cor
ridors cross each other in The centre O
the building. At the junction of these
the building is open to the roof
Around this run galleries at ever,
floor, and inside these it has a steam
elevator which passes from the grOunt
to the upper floor. The stairways ar,
broad and easy. In the center of tn,
Il ..o.,,I anav ;e n lorpo uroun nf honci
plants, some of which are tropical ant
: others are native. This hall is in it
}. self o picture gallery, having some o
i the best pi oductions of dozen famou
l. artists, and busts and statues are foun'
on every side and on every floor
While Wellesley college contains 81
much that is beautiful, it has not &C
quired il at the sacrifice of that which
is needful. The system of vcutilatio
}, and drainage is as perfect as engineer
v ing skill could make it. The buildin
:, contains apartments for $50 student
= and thirty teachers. The dining ha
Is seats So The chapel, whichsis now i
e the hands of the frescoer and painter
n will seat 800. There are besides thes
"A arge,gymnasium, art gallery, library
reading room, numerous parlors, rec
tation rooms, laboratories, etc. Welle
j. ley is proud of its library. The room
,e the finest in the building, light, air
n. and beautiful. The library was bui
u for 100, 900 volumes. At present theI
are 10000, but numbers fail to repr,
sent the value Of the collection. I'll
selections have been made for Ii
studies pursued in the course, al
:, abounds in grammars. dictionaries, al
~ u, encyclopedias OF different language
y works illustrative of the geography an
~, history of every country, as we'll as
- classical productions of the authors
u, every age. There are five special
d braries: the botanical library, the
y: brary:of biology, andzoology, the che
VI cal library, the library of the physic
"a department and the Gertrude libral
~ for biblical study. To this collectiC
-, large additions are made yearly. III
~ college is noted for the health of its i
~ mates, and it is common saying Tn
=; ;o Wellesley atmosphere is begetter
~ rosy cheeks and the generator of goc
~ appetite. The surroundings of Il
III college are favorable for such result
~ On one side of the college building al
20 within a stones throw, is beautif
~ sheet of water called Waban Mer
-. This tiny lake is about five miles
NC circumference and contains beauti
~ ~ that must be seen to be appreciate
70 Here young ladies have a large numb
~ of boats at their command and the alb
'.e ity to manage these with deXteri
'a' and skill Is their pride. There is har
III ly young lady at WELLESLEY who cam
1r pull stronger and steadier stro
ne than many of the sallow-cheekcd yout
= in our American colleges.
for The college has seven courses
study from which the students may
III lect: viz. the general college course,
of course for honors in classics, the cour
IN. for honors iu mathematics, the couI
oh for honors in modern languages,
ot. five years. musical course, the fl
II. years. art course and the scienti
mn oanrse. The requirements for o
'av mission compare favorably with a
an of our New England colleges, and I
,se course throughout is not inferior
he Harvard, Amherst, Dartmouth,
nrS Middlebury. Space will not allow
ra. to enlarge upon these different cours
'en of study, but it is sufficient to say Il
nv they are comprehensive and pointe
~ adapted to the mental discipline a
systematic culture of the student. A
rangements have recently been ma
go that teachers and post-gradua
nm. can enter themselves as students a
alto devote their entire attention to So
of particular branch of study, reciti
oh. with all of the four classes at once it'll
an desire. This opens the door for
IN dies to become proficient in the 6
ons ences, the classics, the arts, mat
ece matics, ETC., and fit themselves
lin. teachers in these branches. At t
fer present time there is in process of er
,alf ton new hall, which is to be call
hat Stone hall, after the name of Mrs.
the leria G. Stone, who gave 100000
inc this purpose. This hall is to be dew
ari ed to the use of such teachers as W
r;tv to perfect themselves in any particu
n branch. 1t will accommodate 100 ladi
m a all having apartments TO themselv
hem with parlors, music rooms, etc.,
hen their accommodation. This will be CO
,ar pletcd in September, 1881, and '