The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-27
THE SHANNON OBSERVATORY.
Its Corner Stone Laid by Colby
Faculty and Students.

WATERvILLE, September 26.-The exer-
cises to appropriately commemorate the lay
ing of the corner stone of the Shannon OBJ
servatory and Physical Laboratory took
place on the site of the building this after
noon at 2.3O o'clock.
The corner stone is a massive block of
granite, in which an excavation had been
made large enough to take in a box 8 by s by
10 inches. The box contained the names of
the board of trustees, of the members of the
faculty, and The names of the students now
in college. There was also placed in the box
sample copies OF the college and literary pub
locations, together with a programme of the
day. This box, after being placed in the
Of brick and stone, and will at once be made
part of the magnificent building which
bears its donors name. E
The exercises consisted of music by the
Togus band, prayer, and singing by the stu
dents of a college ode, written for the occa-
sion by A. b. Patten, go. This was followed
by the deposition of memorials by the presi-
dent of the senior class, E. T. Wyman. DR..
an address on behalf of the university.
Prof. w. r. Rogers made some remarks up
on the purpose and uses of the building.
Prof. Hall gave short sketch of the life of
Col. shannon. the donor of the building
George N. Hurd, 80, gave an Grafton in be-
half of the students of the University.
Professor Rogers, of the department of
physics and astronomy, under whose super
vision the building has been erected, spoke
as follows:
We are gathered here to signalize the ere
tion of new building on the college cam
pus, a building made possible by the munfi-
cence of single patron of learning Twill
enumerate few of the objects which we
may reasonably hope to accomplish through
the building whose corner stone you are now
to lay. First of all, this building with its
equipments ought to become an indispensa-
BILE help to instruction in the regular curricu-
lum of the college. In the study of the phe-
nomena of nature and in the Investigation
of laws which underlie those phenomena, il
Illustrative experiments add greatly to the in
terest of the student and the clear comprehen-
sion of the study in which he is engaged.
These illustrations require first of all room
and convenience, and then additions of ap-
paratus will of course be continually made
TO keep pace with the amazingly rapid
strides of all branches of science. In my
department, the first of these requirements
will be fully met in the Shannon Observatory
and Physical Laboratory. | have faith that
all needs of apparatus will be provided for
by friends of the College who have Its well
fare at heart and mean that it shall be not
one one whit behind the best college in the land.
in experimental work which he may
elect, either in physics or astronomy.
From the facilities of the new building a
love of science can be cultivated to an ex-
tent which will determine whether its fu-
ture pursuit will be desirable or profitable,
and sufficient familiarity with laboratory
work will be gained to be of decided advan-
tage in further pursuit of the science. 1t is
decided to give the students such a .practi-
cal acquaintance with the subject of electric
ity as will fit those who propose to pursue
this science as profession TO enter with ad
vantage the first schools of electrical engi-
neering. No field of profitable employment
that that which is now opening In this direc-
ton.
The exercises closed by singing an ode COM
posed by member of the college. A recep-
tion was rendered to President Small in the
evening.