Brigham Young University - Banyan Yearbook (Provo, UT)

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■• ' Wi ' ijiiU-i recent and acute were the memories of fi- nancial difficulties, that it is doubtful whether th- college building would have materialized for a long while, had not a son of the first President of the Board stepped into the financial breach, with the same in- trepidity that his father was wont to manifest. Reed Smoot asked for three months time in which to raise the necessary funds and offered to be personally responsible for the outcome. He proved to be as good as his word. In the main corridor of the building is a marble slab con taining the names of the men and women associated with him in tliis merito rious enterprise. It should be added, that the heating plant and furniture were contributed by the Alumni associa- tion. The building was dedicated for service during commencement week of the school year 1897-98. Credit is due to the Student-body for beginning the agitation which resulted in the next building. Toward the close of the Century the need most distinctly felt was an athletic field and a gymnasium; and the students took hold of the situation with characteristic energy. Not only did they contribute liberally from their own pockets; they organized themselves into com- mittees for soliciting aid throughout the State. Temple hill was the first fruits of their achieve- ment ; but they had also collected a considerable sum toward a gymnasium building. Then came the movement by which the Church Normal Training school was made part of the institution, and with it the need of suitable quarters. The result was the erection of the Training School building and gymnasium combined; most of the funds being contributed by Mr. Jesse Knight and Hon. David Evans. The building was dedicated on February 7, 1902. The foundation fund for the Preparatory building was a gift of $1000 by Miss Emma Lucy Gates, and represented the proceeds of a concert given by her toward the endowment of the Do- [14] The Preparatory Building

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Janwary 4, 1892. Under his able generalship, the school took tremendous strides forward. Without losing the spirit so characteristic of Dr. Maeser ' s management, it became at once a modern school, and in touch with the best colleges east and west. The new building now known as the High School building, dates its beginning from the year of the fire. Such was the feeling of sympathy for the institution, that $2000 were taken in as subscriptions within a few days after the greatest loss — enough to buy the ground and lay the foundations. Here the work halted for six years. To President Cluff belongs the honor of renewing the agitation for its completion, and to President A. O. Smoot for furnishing the means. Not one man in ten thousand would have mortgaged his home and personal property, as he did, to borrow money for such a purpose; and even though the Church, a year or two afterwards, assumed the indebtedness, this fine building, the first real home of the institution, — since it was the first shaped to its needs, — stands today a monument to the man who did more than the Founder himself, in the matter of means and self-sacrificing devotion, to make the Brigham Young University possible. The future of the institution was, at this time, very modestly estimated. For instance, in one of his last addresses before the school, President Smoot made the remark that he hoped to see the day when one hundred normal students would be enroll- ed. Before the century closed that number had quadrupled, and there was a like in- crease in other departments. Indeed, the difficulties connected with raising funds to pay for the High School building had hardly been met, when the school clamored for more room. However, the immediate occasion of starting the movement for a new building was the fact that on October 16, 1896, the Board for- mally founded a college department, offer- ing the bachelor ' s degree. Agitation for another building immedi- ately began; and at a banquet the following spring President Cluff strongly urged upon the Board the need of more room. But so [13] The Training Building and Gymnasium

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mestic Science department; The rest of the $13000 needed was donated by the Alpine, Nebo, Utah, Wasatch, and Juab Stakes, in consideration of the fact that a missionary and a Prepara- tory or Sub-high school department should also have quarters here. The building was dedi- cated October 26, 1904. Two other building acquired during the same year, while of little note from an architectural point of view, deserve mention for their usefulness. These are the blacksmith shop, erected at a cost of $2500 and the Cluff store, which was purchased and remodelled to serve as temporary quarters for the Arts and Trades department. The splendid efforts of the Alumni Associati n toward the completion of the Maeser Mem- orial building, are discussed at length elsewhere. One remark by way of concluson may not be inappropriate. The successive steps in the home-making of the Brigham Young University constitute a most typical example of the virile power of faith, when joined by short links with works. In no instance was the end of any new building foreseen from the beginning; but always the one step visible toward that end was taken as soon as it came into view; and this step led to the next until the outcome was assured; illustrating, the providence of God as set forth in that pas- sage by Paul; viz., The just shall live by faith. The Maeser Memorial [15]