Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-01-05
The RemOdeIIed UniVersIty Buildings
at Burlington.

[Forbess Letter to Boston JournALl
The year 1882 has been an important and
eventful one for the Vermont University at
Burlington. Through the municence of Mr..
John T. Howard the main college building
has been thoroughly reconstructed and mod
erniZed at an expense of nearly S45, 600 The
original building was erected about the year
1900, but was burned in 1924 and rebuilt in
1887, the corner stone of the structure be-
ing laid at that time by Gen. Lafayette. This
building had become dingy and damaged by
half century's use, and WAS inconvenient in
many respects for collegiate purposes. The
roof has been raised and rebuilt in modern
style; the rooms in each of the three stories
have been made three feet higher new par
titions and floors and larger windows and
doors have been put in the building through
out. The central portion of the building has
been extended twenty feet, and entirely new
facades built The brick work is a deep red
color the trimmings being of Isle La Motto
marble. The structure is $50 fcet in length
by 55 feet wide. 1t is three stories high,
with a central tower 100 feet from the ground
and surmounted by graceful spire.
The students dormitories are in both wings.
There are two main entrances to the college
building. In the north wing the first room
on the right of the hallway of the first floor
is the Presidents reception room opposite
is q recitation room 33X2j feet There are
five other recitation rooms Of similar dimen-
sions in the building. The first floor of the
north end of the building contains two large
rooms which are utilized for a laboratory,
one room is devoted to organic chemistry,
one to inorganic chemistry, the whole occu-
plying space 50X33 feet. In the other end
of the building are recitation rooms and
dormitories similar to those mentioned before.
The chapel occupies the central portion of
the college building. 1t is 60x33 feet in size
and 81 feet in height. This room has three
long lancet windows at either end which it is
proposed to utilize for memorial purposes
On the second floor is a reading room 2Ox2O,
and on the same floor over the laboratory is
o mechanical room 30x30.
Last year Mr.. John p. Howard gave $780,
900 in one payment to the University for the
endowment of the Chair of Natural History.
Mr.. John N. Pomeroy OF Burlington, who re-
Gently died, made bequest of $4,000 for
endowing the Chair of Chemistry. Scholar
ships of thousand dollars each, the income
of which is to pay the tuition of INDECENT stu
! dents, have been given during the year by
Hon. Luke P. Poland of st. Johnsbury and
Mr.. John II. Converse of Philadelphia. Miss
Louise Howard of Burlington and Mrs. Jacobs
of Boston have each given $4,000 for free
! scholarships.
The university library, which contains
| some 10000 volumes of choice works has
had large and valuable accession in the ~,
600 volumes comprising the library Of the
late Charles p. Marsh, which was purchased
| by Hon. Frederick Billings at a cost of Sl5,
900 and donated to the university. This lib
eral and handsome contribution by Mr., Bill
lings is fully appreciated by all friends of the
| college.
I understand that generous friend of the
college proposes to build a new and handsome
hre.proof library building having shelf room
for 80, 900 volumes.
Mr.. Howard intends to build at an early
day a spacious and well appointed gymnasium
for the use of the students. Mr.. Howard has
decided on his model, which is the one con-
nected with the Knoxville Tenn University,
and which cost completed $4,000.