The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-05
UNIVERSITY
52ST0RIESIN
AIR, IS PLAN
Head of University of Pitts"
burgh Explains Motives
For It's Erection
EXPRESSES SPIRIT
EXPRESSES SPIR
Also Declares That Per Cubic
Foot of Construction
Makes il Economical

Pittsburgh. Dec. "a building Of
great height "to express the spirit Of
Pittsburg achievement with such
force and such grasp of its sublim-
ity that the whole world viii under
stand is the underlying idea of the
University of Pittsburgh's 81 story
"Cathcdral Of Learning to be erect
cd at the entrance to Schcnley Park
and near the site of present facilities
Of the institution. The cathedral
will cost $l0.Ooo.0 900
Chancellor J. e. Bowman expressed
this idea as the principal purpose OF
the trustees in planning this radical
departure in university building con
struction. pointing out that most
educational buildings were long and
low, modelled after the structures Of
ancient Greece and Rome. They sug
gcst calmncss and rcposc, he said,
whereas the building planned for
Pittsburgh will suggest achievement
and ambition for further achieve
mcnt. Rcposc. he said. is a reward
for labor performed and is not the
prepare for the struggles oil life.
Cathedral Of Learning
"The Cathedral Of Learning" Chan
ccllor Bowman said ais to be the
greatest structure ever erected by
any community to tell its own living
will. The Washington Monument and
the Lincoln Memorial in Washington
are the expressions Of u nation, not
Of the city of Washington. but this
building will be an expression OF the
spirit of Pittsburgh. The building
is to be high. not for the sake of
being high, but for the power of in
spiration and for the sublimity which
great height, together with right pro-
portions, mass, lines, carvings, friezes
and pointed Gothic arches can give.
BY it's architecture and by its pur
pose the building is to record in an
mospherc Of worship the effort of
those who made Pittsburgh what it
is and to inspire to still higher
achievement those who are to come. 1t
is for this reason that there will be
no tower on the building.
The "Cathedral Of Learning" is but
one of two ambitious building pro.
jects launched by the university. The
other is the $2.O0O,0OO stadium which
will be ready for use next fall 1t
is being built of steele and concrete
and covers tract $50 by 600 feet.
Its seating capacity will be $4,000.
Work on the new building will
start early next year. 1t will stand
on a II acre plot facing Schcnley
Park, in the heart Of Pittsburch's
"Billion Dollar Educational Section
1t will accommodate $4,000 students
and virtually all departments Of the
university will be housed within its
high walls except the colleges Of Me
dicinc and Dentistry which will oc-
cupy the present buildings of the UNI
iversity.
Three years were required to draw
the plans, which call for Gothic style
architecture in white Kentucky lime
stone. 1t will be $50 feet high, $50
feet long and 26O feet wide. Four
main doorways, 80 feet high, will pro-
vide entrances to the building and
16 highspeed elevators will carry stu
dents TO the classrooms on the upper
floors. Charles z. klauder Of Phil.
adelphia drew the plans.
Cost Is Lower
The cost Of construction per cubic
foot in high building is somewhat
higher than the corresponding cost
in low building. Chancellor Bow
man said, but added that this greater
cost ais largely offset by greater
percentage Of effective area obtain
able in the high building. High con-
struction offers obviously better ven
tlation. better light, less noise, less
dust. The cost Of heat. Of upkccp
and Of janitorial service favors high
construction. The foundation of the
building would require about one and
three-fourths acres taken near the
center of the quadrangle This
would leave more than IL Of the II
acres for other buildings in the fu-
turc. If the space needed by the
university were created in four story
buildings, these buildings would
cover the IA acres. The saving, in
land. by the high construction,
amounts to about $2,000,OOO. The
cost Of operating elevators is large
ly offset by the savings in heat, up