The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-02
FIRST BUILDING OF THE AMERICAN UNIvER-
GITY

FIRST BUILDING OF THE AMERICAN UNIvER-
sITY.
northwestern suburbs Of the capital, not
far from President Cleveland's estate,
and was selected by Bishop Hurst. The
land cost 800, 600, which sum was con
tributed by the citizens of Washington,
irrespective Of religious faith.
The government of the university
will remain with the Methodist church
On May %, 1891, the university was
organized and Incorporated by the cleo
ton of trustees and other officers. The
board of trustees is composed of 80 mem
bers, who are selected from the bishops
and presiding elders of the Methodist
general conference and prominent lay
men IN the different states. Three
ladies, Mrs. John A. Logan, Mrs. Eliza
beth Somers and Mrs. Matthew Simpson,
have the honor Of being trustees. John
3. Andrus Of New York is president of
the board.
On Oct. S1 the first step toward the
material part of the enterprise was tax
en- by laying the cornerstone Of what
is to be the hall Of history with i'm
pressive ceremonies. This building,
which is the first to be erected, will be
an attractive edifice. The design shows
ture, with a foundation story of rock
faced marble and the other stories of
tool dressed granite, surmounted by
coppered roof 1t will have a frontage
of ia feet with a depth of 70 feet and
a central projection Of 20 feet The low
er story rises six feet above the ground
and is divided into a number of we'll
lighted rooms. The main floor will be
occupied by a library, a museum, pro-
fessOrs' rooms and lecture rooms. The
upper floor will have an assembly
room large enough to contain the entire
department of history, besides number
of rooms similar to those on the first
floor. The corridors will be wainscoted
with marble, and the steps will be of
the same material.
This general plan for the arrangement
of the buildings and the laying out of
the ground has been left to Frederick
Law Olmstead, the famous landscape
artist who designed New York g Central
park and jackson park at the World's
fair. The buildings viii be arranged in
a double quadrangle. The admiuistra-
ton hall Will occupy the central point
and will combine library and chapel,
the general offices for the management
Of all departments and also a large hall
to be used for a general assent bly, cham
Der for the university. Next viii be the
hall of science for the following depart
ments Of dy-mathematics, chemis-
try, physics and biology The hall Of
philosophy, which comes next, Will be
the home of metaphysics and history Of
philosophy, archaeology, theism, COM
parative religion, psychology, etc.
On the second quadrangle comes the
building about to be erected-the Hall
of History which will be fanked by the
Hall of Language and Literature. Be
sides these structures there will be 9TH
ers erected by various Methodist socie-
ties for special purposes The Epworth
league is now engaged IN collecting a
fund with which to endow a college in
memory of the late Bishop Asbury The
various missionary and temperance So
cieties of the Methodist church propose
to endow a college Of scientific temper
ance hitch viii be q unique departure
in educational lines. Altogether the
American university viii be an inter
esting and valuable addition to our in
stitutions Of learning.
@. Z. BAXTER