The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1894-10-12
IT'S WE'LL EQUIPPED
NEW CHEMICAL LABORATORY OF
THE COLLEGE OF MONTANA.


is the Result of the Generosity of Hon.
w. "A. Clark-A Complete Description
of the Valuable Acquisition.
It is held by the best educators that q
young man who desires proficient lnowl-
edge should apply part of his time to
the study Of chemical science. Mans
advance in the application of the ele-
ments of nature to his comfort and de-
sires is the most striking feature Of the
era, and especially of the century. The
principle recognized by prominent teach
ers of the time is, that nature is the
teacher, and that teaching consists in
aiding the pupil to teach himself. The
duty of providing for education is appro-
priately carried on through the higher
schools, academies and colleges through
out Montana, but not with greater sue
cess than at the College of Montana, a
substantial institution Of learning located
here. The vast amount Of good which
the college has accomplished, and will
continue to accomplish, is beyond com
putation. 1t stands today a credit and
honor to Montana. Under the able
guidance of Rev. Geo. F. Danforth, late
Of Hornellsville, N. Y, the college will
be a leading factor among institutions Of
its kind in Montana. Rev. Danforth is a
graduate Of Cornell and taught in the
same university before he came to
Montana.
A department that has been greatly
improved, under the supervision Of Prof.
W. &. King, is the chemical. Its new
and handsome equipment is accom-
plished through the generosity of Hon.
w. A. Clark, of Butte. This department
was installed in its new quarters on last
Wednesday. Formerly this department.
was located in the basement of Trask
Hall, but now the entire first floor of this
building is given over to its use, and this
space is now divided into five separate
rooms, as follows; A chemical lecture
room, quantitative laboratory, balance
room, general chemistry and qualitative
laboratory, and private laboratory for the
professor in charge of the department.
The lecture room is provided with
chemical lecture desk containing pneu-
matte trough and gas, water and air blast.
The desk is fitted up underneath with
cupboards and drawers for holding chem
ical glassware and apparatus. Just back
of this desk and to one side is a chemical
hood supplied with heating fixtures, gas,
etc. These changes have been made
with a view to illustrating experiment
ally to the classes the various points gone
over in the chemical lectures. This will
make the course much more attractive
and at the same time the benefits derived
by the student will be correspondingly
increased, as it will aid him materially
in grasping and retaining the fundamen-
tai facts OF the science, which must be
illustrated experimentally in order to be
thoroughly appreciated and understood,
and at the same time it relieves the mo-
notony Of the old methods of textbook
drudgery and, further, it gradually
teaches him methods of chemical manip-
ulation and opens up to his mind the
possibility of personal ingenuity in ar
rangement of apparatus.
The entire fund given by Mr.. Clark
has not been consumed in making the
changes that have already been made
but portion has been reserved for the
purpose of purchasing chemical appara
tus for lecture-room purposes, which is
now in transit from Germany.
The quantitative laboratory is fitted with
the latest modern style Of desks con
structed, having oak tops two inches
thick, there being at each desk sink
water and gas, each desk having foul
drawers and two ample cupboards, al
under one lock and key. The studen
has three shelves on the top Of his desk
the space of the middle shelf being
divided into two compartments CLOSED
with swinging glass doors. At the side
OF the watercocks at each desk there is q
water nipple, to which hose can be at
tached for carrying on distillations etc
At the side of the room is broad work
ing desk supplied with gas and an all
blast, where fusions at high temperature
glass blowing and combustion work is tc
be carried on. This laboratory is sup
piled with an ample hood containing fou
windows hung on weights, making it pos
slble to adjust the windows at any heigh
to properly regulate the draught and pre-
vent the escape Of disagreeable fume
into the room. The hood is provided
with heating apparatus consisting of
three -eighths inch plate, 16x36 inches