Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-06-06
A NOBLE Building.

The new building for the departments
+ agriculture and natural hist ry at the
Maine State college, which i. now nearly
completed. is By far the finest building on
the campus, and possessing much
architectural character for itself, will also
give to the college that distinction which
for 90 long a time has been wanting, iu-
a.inuch a. these important departments
ave either had no identity whatever, or
been crowded into , Insignificant quarters
a. to be abo.t the same a. overlooked
entirely. With this noble building III
which to house the soul Of these chief,
a ID really distinctive features of the
college, il can now assert its importance
"A the public educational system of the
tate, and, when the building is fully
occupied, well maintain it.
The main building is ~ by Ga feet, the
rear annex being SO by II feet. The
main entrance hail i twelve feet wide and
runs through TO the annex, the walls
Operating it from the several apart
neni- being Of two thicknesse- of brick,
tlie halls, library, and physical laboratory
being lire proof. These dressed brick
| form the finish to the walls in the hall.
tnd are painted in an artistic manner,
| giving II somewhat pleasing effect. The
| ttdo j. redi-h brown, the frieze terra
Gotta, and the interesting portion of the
| walls dark cream color, each por-
zion being separated b. Is:row band OF
.ome more di-tiuct color The building j.
| lcatcd throughout by steam, the furnace,
| loilcr and coal room, being in the base
| nent, where j. also Il room to be devoted
% the rough work of the natural history
| department., while it is also designed to
! lsc II portion of the basement fora general
mechanical room aud Tor the storage OF
ene larger class of agricultural implements
/ md machines.
On the first floor, north OF the entrance
all are the agricultural lecture room, and
agriculture laboratory; south of the hall
t.,r physical laboratory occupies the en-
dire floor. Upon the second story, north
of the hall, are the geological laboratory
and 10 | ri a | cture r oms; south Of the
ldll are the botanical class rooms, and
Arrharium aud botanical laboratory. The
entire tIirl floor of the main building j.
I occupied n an audience room, which has
a seating capacity of four hundred: ana
Is for the present To he used "a Z, chapel.
fhe only objectionable architectural
Feature 10 tir building seems to he in thi-
audience room. The entrance to ii ap-
pear narrow and cramped, aud no audi
enre room at any college, for any purpose
I whatsoever, should he situated at the hta
of these long, hard flights of stairs. For
chapel il Is thorong NY inappropriate.
The entire ground floor of the annex is
devoted to library and reading room. At
present there are but seven double book
stacks. sufficient for the immediate wants
of the library the full capacity of the room
being twenty five thousand volumes. At the
right of the entrance l. the librarian
private Office, aud a. the left Il hooded
fire place of the style of the fifteenth
I century, "A fitting and artistic decoration
to the room. The second and third floor
n the annex will he used for the museum
of natural history, which has been most
a appropriately named the Holmes Cabinet,
IL memory of the late Or. Ezekiel Holmes.
The fixtures, appointments, and fur
nishings of all the above rooms are OF the
most approved modern designs, suggestive
of rapid work, convenient Use. and beauty
The wood used i ash, and all the work on
interior fiuishiugs and furniture is finished
in natural grain giving uniform, rich.
aud solid appearance. The Isolated tables
for accurate experimental work, the ordi-
nary tables an desks, cabinets. eases of
drawers Of all sizes. hcrbarium shelves,
aud every other appliance and furni ,hing,
shows that everything which skill or eX-
periencc has been able to suggest in the
way of "handy" arrangements for profess
sor or student has been done to render the
entire building rs complete and perfect "a
it can I've made. Many good judges of such
structures iliNt suIIV~fti tiit toNt w bt III
the neighborhood of $4,000, when. "a Il
matter of fact, the cost will be
something below the $4,000 ap-
propriated for it, construction, showing
that the peoples money has been most
wisely and judiciously expended. The
contract for the building was sl9,5S.; the
balance of the appropriation being chiefly
used for fixtures in the different rooms.
heating apparatus, etc.
Fine buildings, it Is true. do not alone
make college or university great, but
they are indispen sable to it, aud in the
uses to which they are put give such in
stitution character aud distinction. Many
colleges with mean buildings have been
great in their teachers. their collection
aud their iafiuence-hut they are greater
when the collections are nobly sheltered.
and " hen instructors from President down.
can show with pride accumulatious of
books, collections in all departments of
study, aud apparatus aud appliances which
aid investigation. In these our noble
state College with its fine building. and
increasing wears, will soon be able to take
higa rank among the educational institu-
tons of the State This new Coburn
Hall. which perpetuates TO all time the
name of the great benefactor of the col
lege. the late Hon. Abner Coburn, will be
dedicated with appropriate exercises oil
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PC.