THE STUDENTS JOURNAL.
5
A New Chemistry Building.
One of the most pressing needs of the University at the present time is a new building for the use of the Chemical Department, and some relief for the Pharmacy Department. The building now in use was built in 1883. A small appropriation was made by the state at that time, and to this was added some funds in the hands of the Regents. About $12,000 was thus spent, and other small sums have since been appropriated by the Regents for furnishing. For several years the work in Pharmacy and Preparatory Medicine was carried on under the supervision of the Department of Chemistry, but about 1885, a School of Pharmacy was established, and the work of the two departments has been carried on in the present quarters for ten years. For a year or two there was room enough for both, but as the University grew provision had to be made for the increase. One, and finally two, rooms of the basement, intended at first only as a cellar, were excavated and finished off into laboratories. A gallery, to be used as a weighing room, was added on the main floor, and recently rooms in the main building have been used for storage of apparatus and chemicals.
This, in brief, is the history of the present Chemistry building. In the Chemical Department last year 360 students received instruction, and in the Pharmacy School there were largely increased numbers. At present the largest laboratory in the building will accommodate only 48 students, working at the same time The only lecture room and recitation room is arranged to seat 76, but last year there were crowded into it 125. The Sophomores will remember how they were obliged to occupy chairs both before and behind the lecturer's desk.
In some important branches of the Science of Chemistry, it has been found necessary to abandon all Laboratory Practice on account of lack of room and facilities for doing the work. Again the fact that there is only one recitation room for the numerous classes in Pharmacy and Chemistry, has proved a source of great annoyance. To manage the matter in any way some classes have been obliged to recite in a basement room, which is used as a laboratory, and others were obliged to recite in other buildings, at a distance from the apparatus and specimens, so important for illustration.
Two years ago an appropriation was asked for, to enlarge the present Chemistry Building, so that it would be large enough for both departments, and plans were made for this purpose: but it is interesting to notice that if that addition had been erected, it would not be large enough to-day. Now it is deemed advisable to ask for an appropriation for an entirely new Chemical Laboratory, and to remode the present Chemistry Building in such a way that it will accommodate the Pharmacy Department. The latter plan provides for an addition upon the west end of the present building and a number of modifications of the interior, so as to give greater Laboratory room, and better lecture and store rooms
It has been suggested that the New Chemical Laboratory be located southwest of Snow Mall, at a point where it will be readily accessible to students from the various buildings. This becomes necessary as the Chemical Department is expected to give instruction to students in the Arts Department, as well as to those in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Pharmacy.
Most of the large Universities of the country are provided with Chemicalai Laboratories of approved construction For instance, the one recently erected at Cornell cost $80.000; at Wisconsin, $60.00; at Nebraska, $30.000; at Iowa, $42.000; at Minnesota, $60.000; at Illinois, $50.000. These are all State institutions. The endowed Universities are not behind in their facilities, for the University of Pennsylvania has just built a Chemical Laboratory that cost $110.000; the Lehigh University has built at a cost of $116.000; and Yale, at $75.0 0
From these figures it will be seen that Kansas has been too modest in allowing her students to ge along in some way in a small and inconvenient building that was built for $12.000, while other universities with which she competes offer so much better facilities in this line of work. In planning for the future it should be borne in mind that any building erected which will just accommodate a department to-day, is likely to be too small in a few years. It is wise economy then to look ahead and provide for the growth.
For rent, two good rooms. 1301 Tenn. St.