Albion College - Albionian Yearbook (Albion, MI)

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LOCATION Albion is a thriving city of 6,000 inhabitants, situated in the central portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The post- al, telegraph and telephone facilities are equal to those of the larger cities in the state. Albion is on the main line of the Michigan Central Railroad, 95 miles west of Detroit. The Lans- ing division of the Lake Shore Michigan Southern crosses the Michigan Central at this place, providing direct connection with the main line of the Lake Shore on the south, and at the north with the Grand Rapids division of the Michigan Central, the Pere Marquette, the Grand Trunk and other lines. The Jackson Battle Creek Electric line passes through Albion, giving us hourly conections with points east and west. GROUNDS AND BUILDINGS The college campus contains eighteen acres. The old Cen- tral Building, through the generosity of George O. Robinson, LL. D., of Detroit, has been thoroughly renovated and enlarged so that it is in every respect an up-to-date building and now bears the name Robinson Hall. The entire interior of the old building has been reconstructed and an addition four stories in height has been built on the east side of the old building. This addition is 45 by 60 feet and is devoted to the Biological and Botanical Laboratories, together with work rooms and store rooms. The north building, situated just north of the foregoing, is 80 feet long, 50 feet wide and three stories in height. It con- tains four lecture rooms, quarters for the Commercial School, the Art Studio and two Literary Societies. The Chapel Building stands directly south of the Central Building, and is three stories high, 80 feet long and fifty feet wide. The second and third stories are wholly devoted to chap- el purposes. The first story is devoted to the work of the Con- servatory of Music and the Secretary ' s office. The Astronomical Observatory was erected in 1883, is two

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HISTORY In the year 1883, Rev. Henry Colclazer, Rev. Elijah H. Pilcher and Benjamin H. Packard, M. D., resolved to inaugurate a movement for the establishment of an academy of higher learning in Michigan. Spring Arbor was chosen as a location, and in the spring of 1835 the Legislature granted a charter under the corporate name of Spring Arbor Academy, locating the institution on the site of an old Indian village, in the town of Spring Arbor. In the spring of 1839 the charter was amended, locating the school at Albion and reconstructing the Board of Trustees. In November of 1843, the first building was completed and opened for the reception of students. Rev. Charles F. Stock- well, A. M., a graduate of Middletown University, was appointed principal. In 1849, the charter was amended by the creation of a Fe- male College, so that the corporate name became Wesleyan Seminary and Female Collegiate Institute. The institution was empowered to grant degrees to women only. In 1861, the original charter was still further amended, au- thorizing the institution to confer degrees on both men and wo- men, the corporate name becoming Albion College. In 1907 the charter was amended giving the institution en- larged powers. The management of the institution is vested in a Board of Trustees, consisting of sixteen persons, six elected by the De- troit Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, six by the Michigan conference, and four by the Society of Alumni. The President of the College is associated as a member ex-officio. A special board or committee, as custodian of the Endowment Fund, was created by act of the Legislature in 1865. NOTE-1883 above should he 1833.

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YEAR BOOK 11 stories high, with a round tower which rises to three stories and is surmounted by a dome. On the lower floor are the lecture rooms of the departments of Astronomy and Mathematics and the pier-room, through which pass the brick supports for the fixed instruments. On the second floor are the transit room, containing the Transit Circle, Clock and Chronograph, a com- puting room, a room for portable instruments, and a room con- taining the Astronomical and Meteorological Library. In the round tower is placed the Equatorial. The gymnasium was completed in 1892. The first story is of field stone; above this the building consists of a heavy frame inclosed with brick. The Building has a frontage of 54 feet, and is 92 feet in depth, surmounted with a gothic roof to pro- vide sufficient height. The McMillan Chemical Laboratory was erected in 1893, the gift of Hon. James McMillan, of Detroit. It is a substantial and modern building, three stories in height above the base- ment. The basement contains the Portland cement laboratory, the assaying room, the mineralogical collections and the furnace room. In the first story, which is 13 feet high, there is the organic laboratory, 27x30 feet, containing tables for 24 students, with 29 feet of hoods, also wall tables, cases for chemicals, etc. Ad- jacent to this are the quantitative laboratory, 22x30 feet, tables for 20 students, hoods, wall tables, etc., a combustion room, 10x17 feet, and dispensing room, 10x21. On the other side of the hall is the instructor ' s study. Off this is a private laboratory, with large table, hoods, wall tables, etc. The balance room, 9x11, and a research room, 15x30 feet, complete the equipment of this floor. The second story is also 13 feet high and contains the quali- tative laboratory, 40x49 feet, with tables for 80 students, with seven hoods, wall tables, cases, etc. The lecture room, also on this floor, 30x37 feet, will accomodate 82 students, the seat- ing being arranged in rising tiers of chairs. The third story is 10 feet high and contains the laboratory of Physics, and also the collections of Paleontology and Lith- olgy. Mrs. Charlotte T. Cassette, of Albion, has erected a beauti- ful building in memory of her deceased daughter, Miss Lottie