Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-11
gHAMLINE UNIVERSITY

tutiOn--Gettinet the Building Ready for
Occupanoy----What Is Being Doae----
Dedic4tory Ceremonies on the Twentieth
of July.
AS matter of fact there is not State in
the Union that has been SO literally provided
with the means for educating the masses as
Minnesota. Her educational fund already
amounts to millions, and still she has hardly
commenced to realize upon her magnificent
educational endowment. This she derives
from the general government, but aside from
that, there are many UNCONVENTIONAL schools,
academies, colleges and universities, all having
one common object in view, and all working
to one end, viz, the education of the
masses. It is not necessary for the GLOBE to
refer to all these different institutions of
learning. ALI its thousands of readers know
of the State university, State normal schools,
the high schools of nearly every city and vii
lage of the State, and the numerous other
institutions of learning, both private and
public. The object of the GLOBE in this ar
ticle is to call attention to another institu-
ton of this character, the broad doors of
which will be thrown open within a short
time. This institution is the Hamline uni
versity, under the supervision and charge of
the Methodist Episcopal church. While this
temple of knowledge is designed more espe-
cially as training school for stu
dents of this particular church, it
will also afford the opportunity
for the youth of our land, both male and
female, to obtain collegiate education at
comparatively little expense. The history of
this institution is familiar to most of the
readers of the GLOBE. 1t was first located
at Red Wing, but few years ago it was re-
moved to its present site in St. Paul. A
number of public spirited individuals united
and purchased fifty acres of land, imme-
diately adjoining the line of the st. Paul,
Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad, which
they presented to the organization upon the
condition that the university should be
built thereon. It would be difficult
to find more eligible site for
such an institution. The directors accepted
the gift of the land, and in 1873 commenced
the erection of the first wing of the proposed
series of buildings which in time will be
among the famous seats of learning in the
land. The financial disasters of that and
few succeeding years delayed the prosecution
of the work, and it was not until 1873, when
the church took hold of the matter in earnest
and determined to complete the work
In that year the Rev. John Stafford was Sc
lected as the agent of the University, and he
at once took hold of it, and notwithstanding
the almost insurmountable difficulties in the
way, has succeeded in completing the first
building of the series, which will be formally
opened on the 10th inst, with appropriate
ceremonies. Learning that such was to be the
case GLOBE reporter visited the university
yesterday to CLEAN such items as would be of
interest to its many readers.
Arriving there, the reporter found small
army OF men engaged in putting the finish
ing touches upon the large and splendid
building. There were men at work on the
outside and the inside, in the basement and
in the fourth story, all under the watchful
eye of the Rev. Mr.. Stafford, who superin-
tends every portion of the work. The first
thing to strike the attention of the visitor is
the solid character of the work, notably ap-
parent from the foundation walls to the
roof. There has been no money expended
in vain show. All has been built with a
view to last, and at the same time certain
style of beauty has not been overlooked
IN the finishing. The ceilings of all
the numerous rooms are fourteen feet ia
height, and the windows extend almost
from the top to the bottom, giving each
room most delightful light and pleasant
appearance. There is not window in the
spacious building. that does not afford
most charming landscape view, extending
for miles over plain and grove. A detailed
description of the building would require
more space than the average reader would
care to peruse, but a few of the general
features of the edifce may not be without
interest. Omitting description of the base
ment, where the furnace for heating the
entire building with steam is located, to-
gether with other rooms, for cooking, ETC.,
we will ascend the broad stairway to the first
floor. where we find ourselves in hall ex-
tending the entire length of the
building, twelve feet wide and ITO
feet long. On the right
we come to q suite of rooms opening into
each other to be known as the reading
room, library and museum. Each of these
rooms are 18 by % feet. The reading room
is being furnished by the jackson street
Methodist Episcopal church of st. Paul; the
library by the First Methodist Episcopal
church of st. Paul, and the museum by the
Hennepin avenue church of Minneapolis. All
OF these rooms are nearly completed and the
furniture was being put in place yesterday.
Adjoining these rooms is another "a by 20
feet being furnished by the Methodist Epis-
copal church of Saltwater. At the west end
of the building is the music room IA by %
feet.
On the opposite side of the hall is located
the reception room 20 by 90 feet. Inn
mediately off this room is another to
be occupied by the agent, Rev. Mr.. Stafford,
and next to that is the private room
of the Rev. D. @. Johns, president of the
University. All three of these rooms are
beautifully and each elegantly furnished with
tapestry carpets, etc. ,one of them by the Grace
NJ. E. Church of st. Paul the presidents
room by the M. E. Church of Mankato and
the office of the agent by the M. E. Church
of GAINESVILLE.
On every floor there are large and capa-
clous cloak rooms, wash rooms, etc.
The second floor is divided up into pro-
fessors' rooms, recitation rooms, etc.
The greater portion OF the space in the
third story is occupied by the chapel. This
is splendid room, and will seat some 700
persons. and can accommodate 1000. This
large room is being finely fitted up by the
NJ. e. Church of Winona.
The fourth story will be reserved for 80
ciety rooms, of which there are two 80 by "a
feet. These rooms will be fitted up hereafter,
when the university is once fairly under
way, to suit the convenience and choice of
the societies.