The San Francisco call., 1895-07-28
A DAY At SANTA CLARA,
Brief Description of the Pio-
neer College of Cali
fornia.
A Complete Physical Laboratory.
Geological and Chemical
Departments.

No one can look over the records of Santa
number of its pupils who have attained
prominence in our State and country.
Brought into being soon after the birth of
California as part of the Union, it has
grown with it's growth and strengthened
with its strength and has ever held prom
inent place in the minds and hearts of the
public. Its fame is not confined to Cali
fornia alone nor to the Pacific Coast; it
extends from ocean to ocean.
Santa Clara College stands upon the site
of the old mission, around which the
pretty town of Santa Clara has grown up.
Seven large buildings besides others OF
less importance, inclosed in a quadrangle
of nearly ten acres constitute the college.
The grounds are laid out in lawns, flower
gardens, vineyard and Fairgrounds.
Aside from the usual features common
to all colleges, Santa Clara is remarkable
for the completeness of its equip
ment in its various departments. The
physical laboratory, for instance, is one
of the most complete in the United States.
1t contains over 450 instruments and ma
chimes, electrical, mechanical, optical aud
astronomical, as we'll as other things nec-
essary for the demonstration of the laws of
heat, light, SOUND and electricity. Many
of them, at great cost, were made TO
order in Paris. The camera was made
in London from plans made by Father
Brunengo, professor of natural philos-
ophy. The work accomplish ed with it at
tracted the attention of the professors of
the Royal Institute of London and they
ordered duDlicate
The Cabinet of Paleontology is also very
complete. Here is displayed set of casts,
made by Ward of Rochester, who has been
called one of education's greatest benefac-
tors His work places within the reach of
all the larger schools and colleges casts of
the rarest relics OF the archaeological
world. A few years ago very few scholars,
indeed, were able to enjoy the benefits de-
rived from elective stady in this line. The
casts have been classified, from the silurian
age to the uuarternary, so that the student
OF geology and natural history is enabled
to read the history of the world, page by
page, as unfolded in the rocks. In this
department is also one of Wards relief
maps of the Grand Canyon CT the Colorado.
This canyon is geologically one of the
most interesting sections of the world, for
it is from 1000 to 5000 feet in depth, and
the geological ages, from the silurian up,
may be read along the terraces of the river.
The outline maps are colored, showing the
different geological periods.
The chemical laboratory is also COM
plete and includes complete plant for
assaying.
The reading matter of the students is
subject to the approval of the president,
and the daily news of the world is sup
piled to them through the columns of The
CALL.
The commercial department is one of
the best in the State and, including as it
does banks, agencies, etc., accustoms the
pupils to the routine of business life.
A very beautiful chapel for the use of
the boys was erected some years back.
This, through lack of funds, has hitherto
remained uncompleted, but we understand
that through the generosity of Mr.. Peter
Donahue such will no longer be the case.
The auditorium is large and well ap-
pointed. Such is what "a day in Santa
Clara" will show US of the exterior life,
but it is not climate nor material advan-
tages that here hold the first rank; it is
the mental and moral training impaired
to it's pupils. Not quantity, but quality,
is its maxim, and pupils that do not mean
to apply themselves to hard study are
neither encouraged to come nor encour-
aged to stay. Like all unendowed col
leges, Santa Clara has reached and main
tanned its position by the self-sacrifice of
those who conduct it, and as its struggles
in the cause of education are better appre-
ciated, it is to be hoped that the example
of Mr.. Donahue will be initiated by
others. For themselves personally the
Fathers receive nothing but their mere
support; whatever is received beyond that
is devoted to helping to form for California
healthy and noble manhood.