The morning call., 1890-12-25
EDUCATIONAL.
Santa Clara College From the
Days of the Old Mission.
The studsrts' ireeai2-Mental and Physical
Trsining-Music and the Dfama-A
Miniaturs World of Commerce.

cOors, bluShing brown or golden among the
leaves, and here and there the stately palm
with its spiky leaves, all clustering together
and literally empowering the picturesque
residences Of the Inhabitants, these form an
agreeable foreground for the picture. while
the majestic mountains that rear their lofty
peaks heavenward complete the picture
Summer and winter are alike. No biting
blasts whistle their mournful reQuiems; no
eyclonic visitatious ever strike terror to the
hearts of the jewellers OF the land. The sun
light falls il Pickering, shifting maZes
through the periume-laden slrubbery, ana
all is peace.
THE OLD MISSION.
Away back in III, nearly III years ago,
q band Of Franciscan fathers, the pioneers
OF civilization on this Coast, and locating in
the Santa Clara Valley, founded the Mis-
sion OF Santa Clara, where they labored
Zealousiy to elevate the moral character and
develop the material prosperity of the in
habitants. The old Mission Church still
stands, monument OF days CT peril and
hardship. and although its front Is OF mod
ern architecture, the profane hand of man
has not married the primitive situation, and
the old Mexican wooden carvings and the
Indian frescoes" are still preserved in
their primitive state except where the cor
Ioding hand of time has compelled repairs.
The I'D building is 19S feet long and A. feet
wide, and on the square in front of the
church still stands the original wooden
cross, thirty-two feet high, which was erected
by the Indians at the time OF the first settle
ment OF the mission.
SANTA CLARA COLLEGE.
1t is upon this spot, justly celebrated for
the beauty of its surrounding scenery and
the mildness and sllubrIty OF its climate, that
the Fathers OF the Society of Jesus, the sue
cessors of the Franciscan Fathers, have
erected tho magnificent quadrangle that
constitutes what Is now known at Santa
Clara College. The inscription of the origi-
nal idea was carried into effect in the Old
mission buildings on the 18Th of March,
1851, the intention being to afford all who
might desire 1t the means of obtaining a
liberal and Christian education. On the
2S!h of April, 1855, it was chartered with all
Of the rights and privileges of a university.
since which time its progress ha, been
onward and upward until to-day it stands as
high in the ranks of educational Institutions
as any in the land.
EDUCATIONAL DIVISIONS.
The experience of the founders of the
college in educational matters gave them
the advantage Of knowing precisely how to
systematic every department, go that there
would be no wasted energy, but everything
should be In perfect working harmony. In
the resent arrangement there are eighteen
claSs-rooms, all OF which are very large and
we'll ventilated and furnished with pri-
vate desk fer each student. Floating back
on the wings of time, and remembering the
old forms ard backiess benches, on which
the poor student was compelled 10 sit during
SIX mortal hours of anguish, these mental
aids can be better appreciated by the vet
eran than the tyro. Gods blessings rest
upon the head and heart of the man who
invented the plan to relieve the student of
In - M 1ac nrtr D.,k tl.,-
sion. The seven large building., besides
several smaller ones, inclosing quadrangle
OF nearly ten acres. are arranged with COM
plete and appropriate accommodations in
every department for the advancement of
pupils.
HOW CLASSIFIED.
Necessarily, in an institution of the mag
nitude of Santa Clara College, a perfect
system is absolutely Indispensable in order
that the different divisions may not clash.
Each branch of learning is divided in sew
eral graded classes, and each class is taught
Tor one hour at the same time Of day, each
having It's separate and respective class
room and professor The class-rooms are
used for the recitation and exclamation of
lessons only. The study-halls are reserved
for private study and preparation, and there
IS also a valuable reference library to which
the students may have access at any time
during their study hours. To give an idea
OF the manner of the claSsficationS a few
words of explanation are necessary. The
Scientific Department is an E-shaped build.
Ing, with main front of 10 feet and wings
81 feet deep. The roof is q f1oored walk,
protected by baiustrade, the whole being
surmounted by tower, or Delvidere, 93 feet
high to the base of the flagstaff.
SCIENTIFIC MYSTERIES
There is lecture-room in which may be
found full assortment of pure chemicals,
a nd lare aE.11-
rare original works from the peus of the
most celebrated scientists; chemical lab
oratoTy, with fiye-fued smelling furnace.
TWO cupeiling furnaces, complete stock
oil chemical glassware, utensils of every
description, battery-room containing q
Groves battery Of 100 cells, a Bunsen's bat
terry OF 140 cells, mammoth Bunsen of six
cells, and number of smaller batteries; a
cabinet which contains COL
lection Of 4j0 instruments and machines to
be used In demonstrating studies on me-
chanics, hydraulics, pneumatics, acoustics,
heat, electricity, magnetism, optics, meteor
0logy, astronomy and other studies, very
costly, most of the instruments having been
manufactured to order in Paris; museum
containing collection of 1000 specimens of
the animal, vegetable and mineral king
doms, gathered from all parts of the world;
cipal subjects are practically illustrated by
means OF instruments, diagrams and pro-
jections from powerful solar microscope,
and minor divisions
NOVEL DIVISION.
Coordinate with the divisions already
mentioned, and possessing the additional
feature of novelty. is the Literary Congress.
This consists OF two branches, called. re-
spectlvely, the Philalethic Senate and the
House OF Philhist0rians, modelled after the
Congress of the United States in its form
and method of procedure, the President of
the college filling, ex officio, the place of the
Executive. Each branch has its we'll
stocked library and reading-room, and
weekly meetings for debate are held through
out the year. There are also nine sectional
or branch libraries, selected for the special
use OF the professors, the normal school.
the science room, the Philalethics, the Phil
the 6odalitieS, the congregation,
the dramatic and the musical societies. In
these Libraries are many rare works, some
of which are nearly four centuries old, and
among the number may be mentioned col
lection OF $50 volumes, reproducing in their
original text the most prominent historical
and polemical writings of antiquity, from
the first century of the Christian era to the
ninth; manual Of asceticism in thirty-three
languages, and a manuscript choir book on
parchment, bound in wood and massive
bronze.
THE THEATER.
Elsewhere mention has been made of the
Dramatic Society. This association really
consists of two societies, senior and
junior. The object of the formation of these
societies Is to afford the best means Of teach
Ing elocuti0n, and in order that nothing may
be lacking theater was necessary. The
building is lib feet wide, 143 feet long and
rs feet high. The auditorium is 81 feet deep.
70 feet wide and AZ feet high, surrounded by
spacious galleries, the whole being hand
somely fitted up and capable of seating 5000
spectators. The stage Is 3S feet deep, and
the proscenium has an opening of "a feet in
width. There are IA sets Of scenes, a very
handsome drop curtain, and all Of the ac-
cess0ries of a well-appointed theater, includ-
ing large assortment of ancient and mod
ern costumes. The building is earthquake
proof. and is well supplied with means Of
egress. The pieces selected for representa-
ton are from the classic and the legitimate
drama.
TRIBUNAL OF COMMERCE
An appreciate feature is the Literary and
Commercial Department This occupies q
building 1S4x43 feet and is divided into
class-rooms, those for rhetoric, grammar
and the languages being ON the first floor.
and the commercial rooms occupying the
second floor. This latter department Is
somewhat of novelty. It is miniature
world Of commerce. It Is fitted up with