Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-06-19
NEW SEAT OF LEARNING
Sons of Veterans Pushing Plan
For a Great University.
FINEST OF SOLDIER MEMORIALS.
Frat of a Group of Splendid BALD
Ing. Beinx Erected at Mason CITY,
Ia.-Coloncl a. L.. Sortor Originator
OF the Cniversity-Scope Of the IN
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| June % Sons of Veterans of the
| United States will gather at Mason
| City. Ia. 10 lay the cornerstone OF one
| Of group of great university buildings
| TO be dedicated TO the memory OF the
| men who fought for the Union dag III
| 1871. says the Chicago Post
| The university owes its origin &c
| Colonel \. l.. Sortor of Mason City.
| Anxious to see something done by the
| Sons of Veterans to keep alive the
| memories of the deeds done by the
men who faced the Confederate shells,
Colonel Sorror devised the plan OF
founding national university, the en-
dowments To come from Sons of Vet
Grams camps. Grand Army posts and
divisions Of the Woman's Relief corps
At the encampnent last year in syria
cuse the plan was approved. and Ma
son City was selected as the home OF
the institution.
When the fact developed that the
univ ersity was ready to be built, a reg
ularly Incorporated society was form
ed to formulate plans and procure
pledges which would be as good as
gold bonds when the committee went
before the national encampment- BY
purchasing n tract of 1Go acres of the
most beautiful land in northern Iowa,
within the city limits, setting apart ~
acres of this for n campus and dividing
the rest into lots and securing pledges
for the sale of the same bonus OF
practically 100000 was guaranteed by
Mason City. which has less than TO-
600 inhabitants.
one of the stipulations was that the
city should give a building TO cost ho'
less than $4,000. and this Is the build
ing which is now in process or con
stluction and the cornerstone of which
is to be laid June 81 1t Is the first
building in group the like OF which
the Mississippi valley has not yet seen
Most of the buildings Will be built OF
native rock. uuarries of which abound
and the vast deposits OF clay for the
making of brick reduce the cost of the
building material to a minimum.
Aside from the campus arrangements
have already been made for an athletic
park. rifle range. drill grounds and fof
naval reserve station. site for which
|
a beautiful body of water seven miles
long and four miles wide. situated 80
minutes ride from the city. uniform
style of architecture has been adopted
The buildings will be of massive and
durable character. but the grouping
will he artistic and the individual archt
lecture ornate The general plan OF the
campus faces north, toward the city
The main entrance is at the north side
leading to the administration building
on one side and the general offices OF
the Sons of Veterans on the other, foI
this will ultimately be the headquarters
of the grand encampment. From the
inviting and triumphal arch will be q
wide avenue leading To the library anc
chapel, which is to be located In the
center of the campus and will be the
most conSpicuously monumental build
ing in the group The library will be In
the shape of Il Greek cross, with the
chapel in the rear.
Directly back of the library at the
center of the west side will be the mu.
scum, resembling the Parthenon al
Athens. Perhaps no feature Of the in
stitution will be Of greater interest
than this. and many rare and inyalua
DIE relics or the war have already beer
rendered and are awaiting shipment
At the center of the east side will he
the large college building. with the
smaller college buildings on the norti
of this and the depression on the soutl
heaurified by conservatory and flower
gardens.
The founders contemplate great
university. second to none in America
and the greatest soldier memorial ir
the world Memorial university. as II
Will be known, will provide courses OF
instruction for both sexes of as high
character as is provided by any institu
ton and in addition thereto a specia
course in military instruction. Ameri
can history and applied patriotism. A
full complement of professional schools
will be organized. and the institution
will be made a university In the broad
fzsfS Of