The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-10
BOWER OF BEAUTY.
Washburn Is to Have a BOtani-
cal Garden.
Will Be just South of New Gym
nasium.
WILL BE A LAKE.
Rare and Beautiful Water
Plants Are to Be Grown.
Occupy Space Intended for an
Athletic Field.

WdSHpuTn Will soon nave a botanical
garden. The trustees of the college to-
gether with Professor w. A Harsh
barger are making the plans and it is
expected that work will begin in the
early spring at the very latest.
The new garden will be just south OF
the new gymnasium. There is an i'm
mense draw at this place and it slopes
off toward the Shunganunga with
beautiful regularity. 1t is planned by
the college to make a dam at the foot
of this draw-down by the Topeka &
Southwestern right of way and turn
the ten acres of prairie into a lake. Wa
ter plants will be grown around this
lake and shrubbery and trees of all
kinds will flourish. Extending from
the lake in all directions a large park
will be set out and Professor Harsh
barger is planning on the trees at the
present time
There are so many natural advan-
tages for a lake Of this kind that it
would be of very little expense to the
college and the trustees have seen the
Harshbarger's plans for the garden. A
well will be dug near the engineering
building and this will do away with the
reliance upon city water. Fire protec-
ton will also be increased with such
we'll and lake and this is what Wash
burn needs most in case another fire
should break out like the big Rice Hall
fire of last year.
Since the students have been diSap-
pointed with the new gymnasium plans
which do away with the swimming
pool another use of the proposed lake
will be welcomed. AS the water Will
be running continually and will be
fresh at all times, an annex to the
rooms will be constructed around a
portion of the lake, thus making as
good a swimming pool as could be
wished. 1t was first thought that a
swimming pool would be installed IN
the new gymnasium but on account OF
the cost of maintenance, the college
gave up the plan. The new idea VIII
appeal more strongly to the average
student on account of the natural ad-
vantages and the sanitary condition
that the pool will surely contain.
This little valley behind the gym
nasium has been coveted for a huge
stadium by the athletically inclined
students and the idea of building such
a thing has been pushed until the trus-
tees condescended to talk it over. The
trustees admitted that it would be a
fine thing but when the cost stared
them in the face they decided that II
would be better to think the matter over
first The students have decided that
the matter will be thought over lit
tie too carefully and their dream Will
never come true. AS result they wei
come this new idea with enthusiasm
and especially since the trustees and
the faculty themselves made the sus-
gestion.
Washburn has always taken great
interest in the beauty of her campus
Professor Harshbarger is a natural
naturalist and he has worked for
years planning the landscape garden
ing of the college and inStructing the
formation Of the improvements. He
has had great success in this respect
and it is conceded that Washburn has
the prettieSt campus of any college IN
the west. The new proposed lake will
cover the only open space on the
Washburn campus. the otner ground
being shaded by tall elms, hard ma
pies. and cedars and pines. The lake
will face the new line of the Topeka &
Southwestern railroad and If this rail-
road is ever built their station will
be on the lakeside.
The vicinity of the lake Will be
wooded like the rest of the campus.
The college has a large number OF
nursery trees and they will be trans
planted at once. There are about one
hundred pines and cedars on the
beach" and these will be trimmed
and used for the park purposes.
When this plan is carried out it will
mean that Washburn field Will nave
to remain where it is and the famous
old athletic arena will receive the
blood of the football battles of COM
ing years. In this case the old fence
viii he torn down and a new modern
one constructed. The old bleachers
will be rebuilt and the grandstand
moved. This would normally come
under the expense of the student ath-
Ietic association but since the college
has spoiled the plans of stadium it
is hoped that they will take up the
matter of new athletic held ana help
out the association
This botanical garden idea was sug-
gested by Professor Harshbarger af-
ter he had inspected the gardens at
Leland Stanford University and the
University of California. These gar
dens were also visited by Mr.. A B.
Whiting of the board of trustees and
he is pushing the matter with the
professor.
All of these things are but a minor
part of the great plans which are be-
ing made for the upbuilding of
s'Greater Wash burn" The college
made big jump in attendance this
year and together with the increased
creased instruction and increased ia
cilitfes the future of Washburn is in
reality a bright one. DIR. F-Snk Knight
Sanders the new president is very
liberal man in his views and the stu
dents who are praying for the univer-
sity plans and customs in the college
are having their prayers answered.
In speaking of the new plans for
the campus DR.. Sanders simply said:
"Our reputa ton is made a number
of times by the first glance at our
campus" And President Sanders
struck keynote.
Patrick Appeals Again.
Washington, Nov 10.-The appeal