The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-07-09
THE RoTuNDA FROM A DISTANCE.

THE ROTUNDA FROM A DISTANCE.
al direction, is on the lines Of that ancient
temple. 1t occupied the center of build
ing which closed one end of O telTaced
lawn. On each side Of this lawn extended
row Of buildings for about 700 feet These
structures faced each other and the lawn.
Some Of them were two stories in height,
to afford living rooms for the professors,
but the most Of them were but one story
and were used as lecture rooms.
Along the front Of all the buildings ran
colonnade which carried out that peculiar
development of Roman architecture known
as colonial Back of these rows ran anoth-
er row of low buildings known as ranges"
and used as dor1nitories. The whole de-
sign was the creation Of jefferson, who took
more pride in building this university and
in having written the Declaration of Inde-
pendence than he did in being president.
With the aid of his niece he drew every
line of the plans on heavy block paper, pre-
pared all the specifications and made all
the estimates of building materials, even
to the number of bricks required. Accord
ing to tradition, he used to sit in his home
at Monticello, four miles away, and watch
through felGglass the men at work, and
If he detected so much as n brick or
shingle improperly placed he would mount
his horse and ride over to have it righted
When he could not personally oversee the
work, he sent full written instructions
from Washington us to what he wanted
DONE In making report OF this work at
the time he said:
"We owed 1t to do, not what was to per-
ish with ourselves, but what would remain
and be respected and preserved through
other ages"
And that is just precisely the way in
which the University Of Virginia was built.
Had it not been for the devastation Of fire
the old buildings would be standing today
precisely as they were when completed soon
after Jefferson's $ death. AS 1t was, nothing
but the rotunda was destroyed, with the
exception of modern annex, which did
not add to the symmetry or beauty of the
design. This latter, by the way, is not to
| be rebuilt
In restoring the rotunda an effort will
| be made to do tine work with as much care
as it was done when Jefferson's eye was on
| the laborers. The original plans have been
preserved, and from these one of the best
known firms of architects in the country
is working. While no change will be
| made in the exterior of the rotunda, the
| interior arrangement will be altered. In
| order to economize room, Jefferson was
compelled to divide the rotunda up into
lecture rooms and split 1t in half with a
floor. The necessity for such economy of
space no longer existing the supporting
columns of the dome will be run clear to
the floor and the interior left free, thus
carrying out the idea which jefferson un-
doubtedly would have adopted had he been
able The rotunda will be lined with book
shelves and henceforth be used as a library.
In making some needed additions, too,
the general scheme of jefferson will be car
ried out Another terrace of zoo feet is to
be added, and three new buildings facing
this are to be constructed and are to be
connected with the old buildings by sort
Of continuation of the colonnade which so
distinguishes the university group.
The cost of the restoration and the new
buildings is estimated at about $3.50, 900.
The rotunda will be ready for the opening
of the college year in the fall, some of the
other halls will be finished soon after, and
the whole will be completed before the
next commencement. From the outside
the restoration will not change the orig
inal view, and the additions will be made
80 as not to mar it in the least.
! That same famous outlook southwark
from the steps of the rotunda can still be