The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-25
MAY Be A CASTLE IN SPAIN,
THE NEW UNIVERSITY BUILDING
MAY HAVE TO BE Con-
STRUCTED IN AIR.
THAT BIG STATE APPROPRIATION
Is Nor ALL THAT Is
REQUIRED.

When the bill for the appropriation of
$3.50, 900 for the establishment of a central
building for the affiliated colleges of the
California State University was signed last
Saturday by the Governor, there was re-
ioicing among the Board of Regents of the
| University.
But now it appears there is possibility
that the appropriation may have been in
vain and that the rejoicings are prema-
ture. The University has the money for
the building but not for a site. Unless it
can secure site without expenditure, its
building must remain in the air, splen-
did ''castle in Spain.'' Here is the chance
of the day for San Francisco landowners
The provisions of the bill are elastic, but
the sum of money is definite, and the re-
gency now intends to do all it can to get
the site for the proposed buildings, as CEN
trail and as cheap as possible. AS matter
of fact it is hoped by the regency board
that there will be found in San Francisco
a landowner with philanthropic motives
strong enough for the Univerity to secure
the land for nothing and use the $3.50, 00O
for building purposes alone.
The present scattered condition and
wholly inadequate quarters of the depart
ments Of law, veterinary, medicine, den
tistry and pharmacy show the strong need
for a new building, and it is upon this &C.
count that the regency is rejoicing.
The fight for the appropriation has been
so long and hard that the appropriation
comes as a windfall even to the men most
anxious for the establishment of consoli-
dated college for the State University.
With the completion of the appropria-
ton bill comes first to the Board Of Re
gents the fact that as lump sum the
&OS0 O0l ic n ffipiQnf Tharo
needs and there is proportionately so little
money that it is generally admitted by
members of the board that the land must
be obtained as gift if the intent of the ap-
preparation is to be made available at all.
So far the regency has before it but one
general architectural plan. That is def
mite only through the needs of the several
branches of the college that are now mad
equately housed.
Judge Charles w. Slack, who has given
much time and attention to the bill for the
last three years, said yesterday:
That the bill has passed ought to be source
OF self-congratulation to every member of any
profession in the State. Its appropriation is
not so large as the necessity demands, but it is
hoped that philanthropy will come to the
rescue with donation OF the land. For the
building the amount given by the State could
be made sufficient.
There have been no architectural plans con-
sidered, for the reason that no one was sure
legislative appropriation. The architectural
scheme is, think, clearly defined in the minds
OF most of the members of the Board of Re-
gents.
A general auditorium with dependent wings
will, 1 think, meet the requirements. The
schools OF medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and
veterinary work need djacent laboratorie to
give the students proper facilities for the best
work. l am inclined to believe that such a
plan will be, generally speaking, the basis OF
the accepted design.
1t is often necessary that ii ffprnnt c
require one from the other, the use of instru-
| ments or books. The plan that would make
| this scientific borrowing possible should,
| think, be the one the boardwill adopt. Proper
! equipment is the strong necessity, and the
money appropriated, large as the amount may
| seem to many. is barely adequate for such
| equipment much less sufficient for land and
| buildings.
The whole theory is one of the consolidation
or rather concentration OF WORK and the work
ers. 1t is to the future that the State Univer-
| sity OF California must look. Native ability
| without housing or equipment may easily ia il
| with reasonable encouragement nothing is pos
s1ple less than success. There should be GER
tainly sufficient honest philanthropy in the
city to prevent the failure of the appropriate
and sufficient establishment of the State
University.
A. S. Hallidie, another member of the
Board of Regents, said:
The regents meet the second Tuesday of each
month, and at the next meeting the State ap-
| preparation will, OF course, be considered.
Practically the sum appropriated is insufficient,
but we must do the bestwe can with the means
| at our command. The State now rents build
| ings that are inadequate to meet the demands
| made The medical school building is practi-
| cally valueless and equally useless. My idea is
| that at the next meeting of the board of re-
| gents there will be appointed conference
committee, which after conference with the
| representative heads of the schools to be
| housed in the new buildings, will determine
| both the site and the plans to be accepted for
| the new building.
J 1t is to be hoped that land may be secured
| without cost. Any man making such dona-
! ton would build for himself monument. Lo-
cation must of course come in, but when econ
| omy is the rule convenience must give way.
When the Board of Regents next meets
| it is more than probable that bids for ar
chitectural plans will be asked for. Then
| after the conference committee has COM
pleted its labors the best design may be
accepted. After that if site is donated
the actual work will begin.
| Meanwhile there is chance for a broad
| minded man, with plenty of land, to dis
| tinguish himself by the donation of the
| necessary land and thereby permit the
State appropriation to be reserved for
buildings and equipments.
First Taste of War.