Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-04

A HALL OF SCIENCE.
A Polytechnic School to be
Established in Pittsburg.
PLANS FOB THE BUILDINGS.
The Western University Decides to
Branch Out Extensively.
CORPS OF INSTRUCTORS CHOSEN,
According to the Recommendation of the
Committee Which Visited Other Cities,
CORPS OF INSTRUCTORS CHOSEN,
FIRST WORK WILL BE EXPERIMENTAL

The one fond hope Of Pittsburg, to have
polytechnic institute is at last about to be real
lied, as definite plans and arrangements to that
end have been consummated. The considera-
tion of such a movement, which has occupied
the minds of the trustees and faculty of the
Western University since last June, was
brought to a climax last Tuesday by the official
action of the trustees in establishing professor
ships and accepting the report of the Visit
ing Committee of nine, who have In
spected the principal institutions of the
kind throughout the country to gather ideas for
the establishment of such an institution in con-
nection with the university. The project has
been under consideration all this time, and the
plans for the building accepted and the con-
tract let, but until the meeting of the trustees
Tuesday, and their acceptance of the report OF
the Visiting Committee, nothing definite in re-
gard TO the course or tulhllment OF the plans
had received the official stamp.
IT WILL BE SCIENCE HALL.
The new building for the purpose now being
erected on Observatory Hill is to be called Sci
ence Hall The plans have only within few
days been adopted in their entirety, and the
work will now proceed as fast as possible. The
building will be of brick and stone, S4xSl feet
and two stories high with basement that can
well be considered third story. In the base
ment will be a forge room, l7x27 feet; testing
room, 1lx27 feet; woodworking room, 29xN
feet; foundry, 40x26 feet; modelling room, l6xl9
room, 27xlS feet, and supply storage room.
On the first floor will be qualitative labora-
tory. 26xN feet; quantitative laboratory, 26xN
26xN feet; private laboratory, lS1zx20
feet; gas laboratory. l2xH feet; ap-
paratus room, Sxl6 feet; lecture room,
AxS0 feet, and an office. On the second floor
will be two geological rooms for collections
and studies, each 27x2l feet; room for mineral
collection, 2lxH feet; room for organic pur-
poses, l2x2l feet; room for chemical collection,
i6xl4 feet; chemical laboratory, lsxl6 feet;
balance or weighing room, Rx2O feet and
dark room, e1Sx9H feet, to be used for photo
graphic purposes and other studies that require
the exclusion OF light
GIVING PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.
Each OF the departments Will have all the
necessary tools and appliances. In the forging
room and Woodworking room, the students
will see or handle the metals in all its stages
from the down. he will be taught the
tensile strength of metals. etc. In the wood
working and modelling departments he will be
taught how to make patterns. plan buildings,
ETC. The new course includes instruction in
electrical engineering and will give the coming
workers in that promising and still unknown
power in all lines of mechanics and arts
chance to get their first instruction by actual
practice.
Swartsmore Science Hall IN connection with
the college of that name in Philadelphia, which
was selected by the Visiting Committee as the
best adapted and most complete institution Of
the kind out of these they visited.
The following is the report CT the Visiting
Committee, giving the reorganization of the
university with the addition OF professorships,
etc. The report was accepted as a whole by
the Board of Trustees:
THE COMMITTEES REPORT.
To the Board of Trustees Of the Western Uni-
yersity Of Pennsylvania:
: Your Committee on new buildings and reorgani-
cation. to which June last, referred a
number of matters relative to the management Of
the university, would respectfully report that
mously recommend the board to take the follow
To classify the corps OF instructors and their
salaries follows: Professors, not to exceed
essoEs, n Soo; ASSISTANT professors. 81 oOO: in
structors and tutors $500 or less as may be agreed
TO make the term Of service Of all officers, pro-
fessOrs and instructors terminate the last day OF
June IN each year. and the election of all officers.
professors and instructors for the ensuing year
shall be held during the month Of March pre-
persons shall continue in their respective posi-
lions during the following year:
That hours for recitations shall be from A. N.
That four hours recitation work each day is due
those that emplo>ed for special hours, and
cept also that those employed in laboratory or |
shop work shall give much time as shall be nee |
ess3ry TO accomplish the instructions intended. |
an s Ssc o bonrs IN MS oMn
department may have referred to him work in |
some cognate branch of instruction.
That chair of ancient language be established |
in lieu of the present arrangement, and the occu-
pant of the chair shall teach the Latin and Greek
as now laid down in the curriculum. |
That an Instructorship in English literature and
That an assistant professor Of mechanical engi-
neering TO embrace also electrical engineering, be
That Reid I. Stewart be appointed as adjunct |
professor of mathematics and engineering. his |
duties to embrace the giving of instruction in |
Ihat Charles vOlney Kerr, NJ. E. be elected
assistant professor of mechanical and electrical
engineering, his duty and salary to begin Janu-
AIRY 1850 soon thereafter as the new build
ing shall be ready for occupancy. |
That the employment of a teacher of French be |
left in the hands of the Chancellor. |
That $50 be appropriated for instruction in elo-
cution, the money 70 be expended according to |
the direction of the Chancellor.
That after January /, 1890 the rate of tuition be
slOO per anuum, in addition to the chemical fees
That the separation of the duties OF treasurer |
and librarian be for the present deferred.
LARGELY EXPERIMENTAL YET.
In speaking with one of the faculty last even |
ing that gentleman was loath to apply the |
word polytechnic to the new departure of the |
university. as he said the word meant a good |
deal and great part of the work was Of neces- |
sity experimental The course and minor ar |
rangements and just how far and to what ex- |
tens the instruction will be extended, cannot |
be determined yet, and now that the Board of |
Trustees have accepted the report of the Visit |
ing Committee in regard to the reorganization 4
and new professorsh1ps. the faculty and those
having in charge the establishment of the new |
course in mechanical and electrical engineering |
and the different departments in Science |
Hall will go ahead with their work and will /
have the catalogue out in short time.
The purpose of the university in regard to /
the polytechnic feature. is to go slow and |
gradually increase the work and instruction as
necessity and experience dictates, and, eventu- \
ally. the city will have an institute where her /
coming IRON men, bridge builders, draughts- |
men, and men in all departments NAV receive /
instruction.in their arts by actual practice and |
be enabled to add greatly to development by
her own sons Of the future generation OF the |
natural resources lying on all sides.
HOW IT WILL BE WORKED.
In some of the like institutions in other
cities. the students go into the foundry put on
the apron, and themselves handle all the
metals and are complete masters of the tools
in the workshops. 1t is not decided yet
whether this plan will be carried out in the
new institution to such an extent or not but it |
is probable that regular workmen will be en-
ployed to do the most of the work while the
students in groups watch them and help in the
minor or lighter work.
Mr.. Charles Volney Kerr, NJ. E.. former
graduate of the Western University after
ward receiving his degree of Mechanical
polytechnic institutes in the United States |
win superintend the work in metals, wood
working. etc.
The civil engineering department will be in
the college building, so that Science Hall will |
not hold all the departments of science in the
college.
AS frst decided. the preparatory department
will be discontinued and carried on as the
Park Institute.
New Sewer for Spring Garden Run.
% q 1