Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-05-31
Madison Nav Dc

Madison, May %.
The athletic festival dedicatory of
the new armory and gymnasium at
the University of Wisconsin termin-
ated last evening in a big and brilliant
ball in the monster auditorium of the
structure. The entire day Yesterday
was devoted by university people to
the celebration, and what a day it
was,-clear and as beautiful as only
a May day can be-
The opening event of the morning
was the procession. at the head of |
which was the university band, fol- |
lowed by the Governors guard, and |
the university battalion of four com
panies. Following the battalion was |
the faculty. Next were the students, |
first the fellows and graduates, and !,
after them the under graduates |
Of all departments Of the university. !
After marching down the hill from
the upper campus, where the forma
ton was effected, to Park street, the
column moved down Park to Langdol
and the lower campus. Here the gov
ernor and his staff in full uniform.I
together with the regents and presi
dent of the university, were stationed
on the reviewing stand. OF the gov
ernor'sl staff those present were Gen.
Louis Auer, Gen. Otto Falk, Col
George w. Peck, Jr., Col. Thomas
Devor and Col. w. J. Boyle, all of
Milwaukee, Col. H. l. Weed, of Osh
kosh, and Col A. H. Hoilister, of
Madison.
The grand review of the guards and
battalion then took place. There were
three companies Of the battalion and
one of the guards. The manual of
arms was gone through with and sew
eral movements executed in a manner
that showed superior training for both
detachments. The university boys
have no reason to feel ashamed of
i comparison of the battalion with the
crack company in the state.
After the review the companies were
drawn up in front of the speakers
stand and President Adams address
followed. He said:
Il congratulate you all upon the ar
rival Of this suspicious day. We have
| met to celebrate the erection Of the
! ArmOry and Gymnasium of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin. This is the
| last of the three buildings provided for
by the legislature in 1890. These edi-
! fees are not remarkable for their or
nate beauty but for solidity of struct-
ure and loneliness of form. The dairy
! building is Of Swiss architecture, the
! law building like that Of the Renas-
cence, and it was thought best to make
! the ArmOry like the Norman. 1t was
j built to endure for all time. New Col
! lege at Oxford was built by VIM,
! Wickham six centuries ago, and today
! its Uncovered walls still retain the
name Of New College. Although we
are not wont to count the age of build
| ings by centuries there is no reason
why honest workmanship should not
produce those that will last for ages.
! On the shores Of this beautiful lake
! the foundations Of the Armory have
! been laid with peculiar solidity. Ev-
! cry precautiOn has been taken against
! fire. The purpose of the building is
! to afford an armOry and gymnasium.
! A large part Of college education is OBJ
! tanned outside of the study and class
! rooms but it is not intended that the
new structure is for making athletes.
+ 1t is to develop boys into energetic
men. In erecting it the regents have
had the support Of architects Conover
and Porter and to their honesty and
effort is due it's successful completion
! The purpose Of the building is we'll
shown in the OratOrio, I might almost
say the greatest Of musical produc-
tons. This masterpiece closes with
the words, 'Hallelujah to the highest
and in it we recognize our allegiance
to God"
In concluding his remarks the presi-
dent said that he regretted that he
was unable to introduce Mr.. Frank
ChallOner, the first chairman of the
committee on structure in the board
of regents. He took pleasure, however,
in being able to present Judge Sea-
man, the gentleman who had taken
Mr.. ChallOners place on his resigna- |
ton. Judge Seaman said that when :
he came to the board of regents the
generosity Of the state legislature had !
provided for three buildings. He had |
the honor Of signing the contract ap-
proving the plans and felt proud to
stand in the presence of the last one
Of the three. In this building the state .
had provided for the development of
Drawn and muscle-for good intellectu-
al work. He gloried in such a legis-
iature and such a university Madison
had furnished an audience last night
that any city might be proud of. In l.
the not far distant future the uniyer-
sity would take rank when it belonged
moo only with the northwest but with
any part of the country as it had al
ready done as far as a gymnasium was :
concerned. n
The president introduced Regent {
Chynoweth next, explaining that he '
had taken Judge Seaman's place as {
chairman of the committee on struct- {
ure, when President Cleveland called t
the latter to a judgeship in the United i
States court. Mr.. Chynoweth said {
that this was indeed a red letter day '
for the university. Nature itself t
seemed to respond to the feeling OF '
gladness in the warm sunshine. The G
more he thought about the matter the !
more he felt like making the claim t
that collegians We're the people. After t
what he had seen during the last S
e., l, l. -