Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-09-08

Oahu College is situated two and a
half miles from Honolulu at Punahou
and can be reached by either Beretania
or King streets. The Trustees of this
school have, during the past year,
provided everything within their
power to add to the success of the
school, The new Bishop Hall ofScience
is just completed and will be ready for
use by the time the school opens on
next Monday. This building fills a
want long felt in the school and is as
complete an addition to the practical
work of the institution as could be de-
sired. The main building is so by a6
feet in size with wing 40 by a6 feet.
The Hall is constructed of brick and has
wide, cool veranda in front. The front
door opens intothe science lectureroom,
80 x "a feet in size. The experiment and
lecture table, properly fitted up for
class work, occupies the back of the
room. Immediately in front are five
rows of raised circular benches, which
will accommodate class of so pupils.
The room is we'll lighted and every
thing is arranged for the comfort as
well as the instruction of the classes.
Back Of the lecture room is the labora-
tory which is 40 &c feet in size which
is also finely lighted and we'll fitted up
with long tables mounted with relay
racks and filed with drawers for instru-
ments Between these two rooms is a
private work room for the professor
East of the lecture room is the college
museum, room I8 x "a feet in size
where the various cabinets collected by
the college are now being put in place
Beneath the front part of the building
IS basement for storage. 1t is divided
into apartments and has concrete
floor The general style of the new
hall is of the Eastlake design. 1t is
the plan OF the principal, Rev. Mr..
Merritt, to collect museum which
shall fully illustrate the natural history
and antiquities of the Islands. The
ventilation of the new building has
been properly attended to and in the
ceiling of the laboratory ventilators have
been put in to carry off the gases.
On the east side of the cottage
grounds proper, which contain about 90
acres of land, is situated the old school
building erected in 1852. 1t is built
Of coral and is two stories high. The
main school room is upstairs and will
seat about 90 scholars. Wide double
verandas run all around the building.
In the upper school room stands the
library of British poets presented to the
college by the late DIR, Damon, memo
rial of his son w. f. Damon. Below
is the library and class rooms The
library contains 3,4oo books, 65o OF
which have been purchased this year
by DR. Merritt, who only expected to
get 500 volumes, as stated in the cata
logue announcement, but who, by
careful buying, has been able to in
crease that amount by $50 volumes OF
the standard authors. The library is
catalogued on the card system SO that
every book is practically available
without loss Of time.
In the main, central building which
can be called the college home are
situated the sleeping apartments of the
young ladies, the boys departments
being entirely separate in side
row of buildings. On the lower
or ground floor are the parlors, dining
room, reading room, office, etc, back
of which are located the. bath rooms
for girls, and the kitchens. The view
from the top of this building is very
fine embracing stretch of country to
the sea- Honolulu lies in the dis
tance, Punchbowl to the westward,
Manoa Valley Immediately back and
Diamond Head on the eastern sea
coast. Everything about the domes-
tic establishment is as complete for
school arrangements as the properties
of many of the older and wealthier
institutions Of the United States.
Above the college buildings to the
eastward is beautiful, cool spring
which supplies the place with water
and is also used for irrigating
the grounds and garden. A fish
pond, stocked with carp, nes be
tween the college and the spring. This
spring has large overflow and part
Of the water goes to supply the Wood
lawn Dairy. Surrounding the buildings
is a beautiful natural and shady lawn,
through which runs graded road to
the public highway. A full faculty will
be in attendance at the opening of the
term next Monday. Mr. l.. l.. Van
Slyke will I'll the new Department of
| Chemistry and Natural Sciences, and
Mr.. George l.. Bates will fill the de-
partment left vacant by Mr.. f.. c,
Sanford. The present term will open
under favorable auspices and the school
will doubtless have the full attendance
ii so richly deserves.