Elmhurst College - Elms Yearbook (Elmhurst, IL)

Page 16 text:

Memorial Librar}? Through the generous gifts of the Young People of our EvangeUcal church the building of the Memorial Library was made possible. It stands just west of the Main Building and is erected to the memory of our Soldiers and Sailors who died in the great World War. The Library is a very attractive building and may be described as follows : It is designed in the Classic style of Architecture and covers a ground area, ninety-three by forty-nine feet. The exterior of the building is made of tan colored rough texture face brick laid up with colored mortar and raked out joints. The trimmings are of Buff Bedford stone, including the two lamp stand- ards at the main entrance. The building is fireproof throughout, the floor and roof construction being of reinforced concrete and the exterior and interior walls of brick. The ceilings are made of suspended metal construction with wire lath and hard plaster. 12

Page 15 text:

Irion Hall Irion Hall, one of the newest of buildings on the campus, was erected in 1911, and is used as a dormitory for Academy students only. The Meusch Memorial Library, named in honor of one of the former inspectors, is at present located in the west end of the basement. The south side is occupied by a locker room and a vault. The gymnasium, dressing room, and shower baths are in the north wing. The eastern extremity of the main floor is occupied by the president and his family. On each side of the main entrance are two reception rooms. There are also seven study rooms, two bed rooms, and a lavatory on this floor. Nine study rooms, nine bed rooms, two trunk rooms and two lava- tories are on the second floor. The only difl: ' erence in the arrangement of the rooms on the second and third floors is that two ])ed rooms take tlie ])lace of the two trunk rooms on the second floor. The chapel is on the north side of the building and cannot l)e seen in the picture. 11

Page 17 text:

iii: - The basement, which is well above the ground level, has a ten foot ceiling and is finished complete with two large rooms which by accordeon doors can be joined together so that an audience of some 200 may be seated. These rooms can be used for lectures, etc. Other rooms in the -b sement are a work-room, where books are unpacked, sorted and catalogued, and additional stock room and two toilet rooms. The main entrance to the building is in the center and one enters through two bronze doors into a vestibule with marble steps, floor and wainscoting and an elaborate plaster ceiling. From this vestibule a stairway leads to the basement. The vestibule also serves as the main entrance to Memorial Hall on the main floor. This is a very beautiful room, twenty by twenty feet, with marble floor and base, and ornamented with plaster panel and cornice. The ceiling of Memorial Hall is elliptically decorated with art glass and lighted from above through a large skylight. Memorial Hall is lighted at night by indirect lighting, the lamps being placed on all four sides of the room m the cornice. On either side of Memorial Hall are large reading rooms with book shelves extending along the walls. These rooms are well lighted and con- tain nine tables, accommodating six students each. Back of Memorial Hall is the stock room. This room is equipped with two level adjustable steel stacks with a glass floor between the levels. On the main floor is the Librarian ' s room and Seminar room. The interior finishing iS ' of quartered white oak in a light golden color, finished with a rubbed varnish surface. The entire interior, of the building is handsomely decorated, the base- ment being done in water color, while the main floor is in oil paint through- out, in harmonious shades of brown and ivory, and with the ornamental plaster in lighter colors. The building is equipped with the most modern li])rary furniture, all of quartered oak. All floors in the building are of asbestos composition with the exception of the floors in the main vestibule and Memorial Hall, which are of marble. Memorial tablets of bronze are to be placed in Memorial Hall. These tablets will contain 647 names. The cost of erecting and equipping the Library is about $67,500. Of this amount Mr. Volker of Kansas City donated $10,000, the Young People of our Synod $40,000 and the Seminary Board the balance. The architect is William C. Jones of Chicago. The Building Committee consisted of the following: President H. J. Sciiiek, Chairman. A. T- Brei ' itai ' S, Secretary-Treasurer. L. C. Brandt. John Blaul. Rev. p. Moritz. Rev. R. Niebuitr. i:!