University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-02-21

/ uSHt SOIlttlHitS pays luuuy StuHtS
with a fellow Then, again, it may
be that | did dream just little bit.
But it all seemed so real and so true
that | never pass the Columns now
without wondering what records
they are putting down about the life
at the University to be told in future
years. Now. while | am writing this,
| feel sense of quiet in prOfanely
publishing what they have seen. re-
corded and guarded for seve nty-twO
years.
Possibly. if the night had not been
so beautiful; the view of the moon
over the dome of Academic Hall had
not been so mysteriOusly enhancing
and had not been junior eager to
make use of my inherited privilege
of sitting at the foot of those col
umns. then it would not have hap
pened. Anyway, | found myself
there. alone, and with several hours
before my eight o'clock
Suddenly the earth began to move
and | was lifted as if by fairy hands
and dropped on the softest kind of
bed. Everything was dark, seemed
to be in vault, the air was close.
After some time was able to dis
tinguish six tall priests in circle
Their garments and headgear seemed
to have ben taken from the fashions
of many centuries ago. recovered
from my surprise just in time to
catch part of sentence in a quaint
Grecian tongue: and We. Ionic
priests in cOmmemOratiOn of our long
vigil will now have the records of
the watch gone over, again"
An authOritive voice. issuing from
the priest nearest me. ordered that
the earliest record of their meeting
be read.
My first recollection of meeting
with you five" began a deep mOnOt-
OnOus voice, was about 1912, when
We We're called from IOnia to be the
spirits of these columns. On July 4
of the year before that, you remem-
ber the cornerstone of the building
we We're put into was laid. That was
great building for that time and
well deserved the honor that it held
as the home of the University of Mis-
souri,. Some said that it cost much
records at $4,000. Much of that
mOn'y was raised by the people of
this county to have the school To-
Gated in this Athens of the new
world. ! was proud to help hold up
the porticO of that building with you !
until the big fire. and then - but
I'm getting away from the records.
THE next building of learning
that was erected on this ground was
that little old observatory which
stood over where the Engineering
Building is now. The records say
that it was built about 1857. w. w.
Hudson. who was then professor of
mathematics and astronomy at the
University. supervised the work.
That was the professor who later
acted as president of the University |
and after whom Hudson avenue was
named, wasn't it," interrupted one
of the priests.
Yes, that was the man. but
wish you wouldn't interrupt me-
continued the recOrd-keeper. I'm
1880 the observatory was moved to
its present location on the quad
rangle and was enlarged. A new tel
escOpe was added to the equipment
of the building. This was purchased
and installed at the expense of DR..
s. S. Laws. who was then president of
the University. Because of this. the
observatory was given the name
Laws Observatory which it bears
now
THE observatory had to be en-
larged again by the addition of a
west wing. and i'm 1907 it was furth-
er enlarged and more equipment
added. They said the original
cost of the building was $4,-
900. but even that looks high for
an old frame building. | never liked
frame buildings. much, anyhow.
Then there We're those three
small cottages that used to stand
over there i'm the southwestern corner
of the University grounds and that
old medical building down there
where the new one stands. Those
buildings We're of wood and | never
did like them. was glad when they
We're torn down. They served a good
purpose at the University, though.
The students used to have great
times in those cottages; almost as
much fun as they have in Benton and