College of Wooster - Index Yearbook (Wooster, OH)

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The Uni'bersity's New Library. N November 3rd, 1899, Mr. H. C. Frick of Pittsburg aroused the pent up enthusiasm of all the sons and daugh- ters of Wooster University and their many friends, by presenting to their Alma Mater f25,000, to be used in the erection of a new library building, to be called the University Library, in honor of his parents, john W. Frick and Elizabeth O. Frick. Those who were in the audience will never forget the sight of twelve hun- dred people wild with joy and thanksgiving. The young men shouted, the young women waved their handkerchiefs, and their parents wiped their eyes, each showing their emoton and gratitude in their own peculiar way. One man who had never been known to lose his self-control, and as a Judge, had always been as dignified as one, leaped upon a seat and waved his hat. This gift to Wooster University came like the morning salute of a new day. To add to the enthu- siasm, Mr. Frick honored the University by appointing one of its own graduates, Mr. George C. Nimmons, of the class of '87 and of the firm of Nimmons 8: Fellows, Chicago, the architects, with orders to proceed at once with the plans. Early in the year IQOO the plans were submitted to Mr. Frick, when he decided to make the building absolutely fire- proof, and added 510,000 to his original gift of 12 5,00 for this purpose, and accepted the plans as presented without a criticism. The building was commenced in the latter part of March and is to be completed September Ist, 1900. The architect has aimed not only to make the library building a store house but also a monument to literature and those great men whose works are immortal. He believed that the foundation or mother style of architecture, the classic, the most appropriate and scholarly for a university library, and in line with educational methods. Its gen- eral- design consists of divisions and details exactly in line with Grecian proportion, embodying all the improvements and inventions of modern times. Its design follows the best classics in that it has a base, or basement story, a shaft or mainnstory and a cornice or cap. The relation or proportion of these several parts -to each other and to the whole, cle- termine the dignity and the beauty of the whole design. The mouldings and the outlines of the cornice, and the manner in which the window and door openings are designed are after the most careful study and measurements of the Grecian models. We 'rind the great masterpieces of the classic architecture simple in outline, without useless features to mar the

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d ' au urated President of the University on November Entering upon his work at Wooster last September, an 1n g 1 ' ' ort and affection of the students, alumni, faculty, trustees and friends third, he has Won the enthusl astic confidence, supp ut upon its spiritual intellectual and administrative life the impress of his joyous faith, h t has reached even of the institution, has already p , forceful personality and trained business ability, and has given its material interests an impulse t a ' ' t that is to be. the stones for the builders an d that has started visions of the greater Woos er -x as N 'i' 'ice 00 S52 9 ' U . . , 1 Q. nv X - f , .U .. c 9, U l l - I .,: a wg ? fu 0' XV n .0 'sql I 'oulfjl Q' f X ' . r-I. 0 f 3 , - -.:' 1 P qc . , 9 Q N , wb!

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dignified effect or its perfect simplicity. So the ain1 in the design has been to make it simple, scholarly, dignified and beautiful. The Library stands in front and to the east of the main building. It is built of a beautiful grey stone 5 the basement story is laid in large courses with deeply grooved joints with the walls battering out to give the appearance of great strength. The stone work of the main story has a smooth plain surface. The cornice is enriched with a carved frieze of laurel leaves with panels for inscriptions supported by the keystones of the openings. The roof is covered with a moss green tile of a classic pattern. Thus the total color effect of the building is the soft grey color of the stone and the moss green of the roof, which will be in perfect harmony with the trees and lawn of the Campus. The interior af the Library consists of a reading and reference room, Librarian'sroom, stack rooni, five seminar rooms for library work, a receiving and unpacking room, a boiler room, two toilet rooms, and three store-rooms. The inish will be old English oak, with tinted walls and stucco ornamentation. The cornice of the main rooms will be en- riched with shields bearing the different class colors, and inscription panels with quotation panels and names of authors. The plan of the building is such that it may be added to in the future without detriment to the present arrangement.