Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06
FOR BRAIN AND HAND.
Facilities for Polytechnic Training
Offered By
THE NEW WESTERN UNIVERSITY,
Theory and Practice Of Pittsburg Indus
tries Supplied at Home.
IMPROVEMENT IN SCIENTIFIC WORK
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.I

| new puiiulnSs OF the w eStern university.
Immediately before and below them, but so
far removed by the commanding height
that the hustle and roar is lost in the dis
tance. lies spread out the lower half of the
city, stretching away to the west between the
hills that rise on either hand, is the Ohio;
and from the roof of the University build
ing the eye can follow the course of that
Sewickley.
| 1t is almost an ideal situation. On OBJ
servatory Hill, or as it may in future be
| appropriately termed, University Hill. Mr..
James B. Scott, in the exercise of his public
| spirited function as constructor OF public
and ornamental buildings for this COM
munity, has given us architectural monu-
ments which attract greater attention by
| their central position, but he has hardly
done anything which will serve its bene-
fetal purposes more permanently than his
work in locating and erecting the handsome
new university building, and its less orna-
mental, but not less practical consort, Sci
ence Hall. on the property of the university,
adjoining the older observatory.
A DECIDED CHANGE IN THE SITE.
There could hardly be a more marked
| contrast than that between the site which
the university formerly occupied on the
corner of Diamond and Ross streets before
it sold those buildings to the county
and that on which 1t is now located.
In place of the smoke and CRIME of the old
location are the fresh air and unstinted light
of its location on the top of the hill. The
roar and dirt of engines on the railway near
by, and the rattle of vehicles on the street,
are supplanted by the quiet and lofty Sc
clusion, with the open expanse of the lawn
and campus of the university around it.
Every external condition which operated to
distract attention or make study difficult
has given place to exactly those conditions
which aid the work of education and per-
NIT the student to give himself fully to his
tasks.
1t is a part of the secret history of the
transfer of the old university property to
tho county that at the time the sale was
made the price at which the board offered
the buildings to the county met with no OBJ
jections, both on the part of the county and
on the part of the friends of the uni yersity.
The County Commissioners thought they
could hardly pay the $50, 900 asked for
the property, upon which the members
of the University Board having the matter
in charge told them to occupy the buildings
whether they bought them or not, and gave
them the privilege of using the buildings
without charge in case they should find
other property as suitable to their purposes
at less figure.
SATISFACTORY TO ALL CONCERNED.
On the other hand, some of the friends of
the university thought the price asked in
sufficient for the value of the property. Yet
fhn uonfh has fhn iol4 1e H.
transaction on both sides. The county
would not sell the old property at its cost,
while in securing the exchange of the noise,
smoke and darkness of the old site, for the
light, cleanliness and silence OF the new one,
the university has accomplished the greatest
gain possible for its educational purposes
and efficiency.
But the contrast between the old site on
the corner of Diamond and Ross streets, and
the new one which overlooks and commands
Allegheny and the source of the Ohio, is not |
more marked than the departure which the
occupancy of the new building serves to in
augurate in the scope and the purposes of |
the university itself. The need OF this age |
for scientific and technical instruction |
is impressing itself more and |
more upon the public, as the progress of
science goes on. This need is especially |
prominent in Pittsburg. The urgent man
ner in which our great manufacturing
establishments are drawing upon the scien-
tihc institutions at other points fo- trained
scientific superintendents, and the require
ments of our great engineering works. fur
nish illustrations of the almost universal
demand for technical and scientific educa-
ton, in the practical operation of our indus
tries. This need is so urgent that it has
evoked some criticism of Mr.. Carnegie's re-
cent munifcent gift to Pittsburg, to the
effect that he should have furnished Pitts
burg with scientific or polytechnic insti-
tute rather than library.
A POLYTECHNIC SCHOOL PROVIDED.
Not merely as an answer to this sort of
but as an indication of the great
value of the new university to Pittsburg, it
is important to note the fact that the scope
Of the university, upon occupying its new
quarters, is SO broadened and enlarged as to
exactly supply this need. Upon the summit
fits lofty hill will be found Pittsburg's sci
entifc and polytechnic institution. In pre-
pairing the new buildings and adapting
shem to the future plans and scope of the
Institution the trustees made the decision
" which has come to maturity. as the uniyer-
,ity is now organized. The preparatory de-
partment of the old university, which
was merely academic in its charac-
Ter, and the field of which was
largely occupied by high schools and other
academic institutions, was discarded, as
which the university could spare
much better than the higher departments.
Instead of it the trustees of the university
nave added scientific and practical depart
nents under the leadership of capable In
tructors and supplied with the fullest
,quipment in the line OF technical instru-
nents, models and all that is needed for the
most thorough and exhaustive instruction in
III branches of natural science. The wide
ange of this equipment is illustrated BY the
Inference between the four blacksmiths' |
orges and the 16 carpenters benches in the
basement of Science Hall, and the cabinet
# delicate and exact models made by Prof.
Stewart for the illustration of geometric
orms and figures, in the engineering depart
nent, in the third story OF the main build-
ng. .
ELECTIVE BRANCHES OF STUDY.
It should not be understood from this
tatement that the university has abandoned
is classical branches of education. On the
ontrary it comes nearer to fulfilling its old
nd. heretofore somewhat ambitious, n!me G
f university by affording to the students a q
hoice between practical and scientific in i
truction. There are under the present scope d,
we different courses which are elective to :
he student, but which course the student is +
1pected to complete, if he undertakes any
f them. The student may take either of the =
blowing courses: The classical, the Latin
cientific, the scientific, the civil engineer = =
ng, mechanical engineering, or the course :
t analytical chemistry. :
The nature of the literary and classical .
In the university is familiar, .
nd need not be enlarged upon. The new =
sature which is of a special interest to r
'ittsburg, is the full equipment and :