Heidelberg University - Aurora Yearbook (Tiffin, OH)

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April IO, 18835 on the 24th of July, 1883, the committee decided to employ Messrs. Peters it Burns, of Dayton, Ohio, as architects to draft plans, specifications, and details com- pleteg and on September 17, 1884, the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to Messrs. Chamberlain 85 King of Tiffin, for 546,558.85 Ground was broken for the new building on September 24, 1884, but the corner-stone was not laid until April 22, 1885. The total cost of the building eventually amounted to about f5o,ooo. The Board of Trustees, by formal action, paid a graceful recognition to Rev. Geo. W. XVilliard, D. D., for his faithful, untiring, and successful labors in raising funds to meet the financial requirements and obligationsfl The architectural style of the building externally is in plan and structure modern Gothic. The entire structure, including the wings, is 141 feet in length and IO8 feet in width. The height of the main roof, from the ground to its crest, measures 70 feet, while the altitude of the tower is 132 feet. Great caution was exercised by the committee to have good material used, first-class workmen employed, and thus they succeeded in having erected a substantial, symmetrical, and commodious edifice. The building contains twelve recitation roomsg one library and reading roomg one art roomg one Conservatory of Music room, four society halls, a chapel, together with nine ante-rooms and closets. The chapel is 46 feet by 68 feet in dimension, 24 feet in height, and with its gallery, has a seating capacity for 750 persons. It is neat and attractive, one of the finest apartments of its kind in the state, and bears the name of the first President of the institution, S. S. Rickly, Esq., who has taken much pleasure in furnishing the room. With reference to the entire structure, the chairman of the Building Committee, in making his Hnal report to the Board of Trustees, truthfully said: On the whole, our co-operative labors have been crowned with success. XVe have a substantial and attractive college edifice. It contains space enough to meet all the requirements for recitation, library, cabinet, apparatus, laboratory, and literary societiesg and also ample room in every respect for a large number of students, who may desire to obtain a thorough education, and rise to high and noble attainments in the sphere of letters and moralsf' A chemical laboratory, so important in scientific experiments and demonstrations, is placed in the basement, and fully answers the purpose for which it is designed. The central rotunda is 34 by 48 feet, extend- ing through the three stories, lighted from above by a magnificent skylight, and from the first floor measures 68 feet i11 height. The location of the building was well chosen, and meets with general approval. The building stands on the triangular point of the western side of the college campus, having the old building to the rear, and fronting to the west with the city of Tiiiin in the fore- ground. Situated on a commanding eminence, this temple of learning, with its massive tower, presents an attractive and imposing appearance. On Wednesday, june 16th, 1886, the dedication of this new building of Heidelberg College took place. This was apparently a glad day to which friends and patrons, professors and students had long looked forward with joyous anticipation. The festivities of the day consisted of two sessions. The morning exercises began at ten o'clock. After appropriate music and a prayer offered by Rev. Samuel B. Yockey, of Xenia, Ohio, the President of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Isaac H. Reiter, D. D., delivered the introductory address. The Rev. S. C. Goss, A. M., the present chancellor-elect of the institution, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, then received the building in an appropriate address. The venerable Rev. Geo. W. Williard, D. D., the President of the College, then delivered the address of dedication, at the close of which he solemnly in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, set it apart from all mere common or ordinary use, and dedicated it to the purpose for which it had been erected. The Rev. Dr. Reiter, President of the Board, then offered the consecratory prayer, which closed the exercises of the morning.

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occupy it, for the purposes of the institution, by the I5tll of December, 1852, or very shortly thereafter. Another long list of scholarships sold during the year was also announced, aggregating to the amount of 59,292.00 It may be mentioned, in this connection, that with the issue of the third catalogue tI853J the practice of publishing the number of scholarships ceased. The corner-stone for the New College Edifice was formally laid amid imposing cere- monies on the 13th of May, 1852. It bears this inscription: Heidelberg Collegeg Char- tered ISSIQ From Rev. E. Hiener, Baltimore. The occasion seems to have been one of great interest. It was estimated that four thousand persons were present. The address of the occasion was delivered by General Samuel F. Cary, of Cincinnati, on The Dignity and Importance of Labor in its Relation to the Physical, Intellectual, and Moral Develop- ment of Man. The formal act of laying the stone was performed by Major Louis Baltzell, President of the Board of Trustees. As to any formal ceremony of dedication of the building, after its completion, we have not been able to trace any notice. The occupation of the building, however, was not reached as early as had been expected. The work was delayed so that it was not ready for occupancy before the spring of 1853. The work after this went forward rather slowly for want of means. The building is estimated to have cost about ,g20,000, although, in an earlier history, it is stated that the exact amount could not be ascer- tained from the books. In -1867, three and one-third acres of land, lying between the campus and Hedges Street, were added to the original purchase. By means of this purchase the campus was greatly enlarged, so that it now contains over eight acres of ground. The original college building stood alone upon the campus for a period of sixteen years. In 1867, the President, Rev. Dr. Geo. W. VVilliard, obtained permission from the Board of Trustees to erect a dwelling-house on the campus, to be known as the President's House. With his well-known energy and activity, President Williard raised the funds for this pur- pose by special contributions, leaving the endowment of the college intact. This house, a large and commodious brick dwelling, two stories in height, was completed in 1868 at a cost of 5QC4,25o. In the year 1873. the large and commodious Ladies' Hall was built, at a cost of about g7,000. It was furnished and ready for occupancy at the opening of the college year in September, 1873, and has proven to be a great accommodation for the ladies attending from abroad. The institution had rounded out thirty years of its history when the feeling, which evidently had been growing for several years, for a new and more modern college building, culminated in a very definite and positive series of resolutions at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees held in May, 1881. As a whereas for the proposed action it was declared that there is an imperative demand for a New and impffovfd college building, additional to the old one erected thirty years ago, which is both antiquated in style of archi- tecture and impaired by years of usageg therefore it was l?e50lzfezi, That the time has now fully come when this Board should take active measures looking to the early consummation of this much needed enterprisefl And the Board did take active measures. The Execu- tive Committee was immediately ordered to obtain plans and specifications for the building, a committee of finance for this special purpose was raised, whose duty was specifically defined to be the soliciting of the necessary funds for this purpose. The President of the College was relieved, as far as possible, from the internal work of teaching, and requested to spend a good share of his time in soliciting funds, and furthermore the Alumni were earnestly solicited to consider this project, and urged to give all possible aid in this impor- tant enterprise. This action certainly indicated the earnestness and determination of the Board in carrying forward the project. A vigorous Building Committee was appointed on

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In the afternoon, beginning at two o'clock, the festivities were continued. After prayer offered by Rev. H. M. Herman, D. D., of Miamisburg, Ohio, the Rev. J. H. A. Bomberger, D. D., LL.D., President of Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa., delivered the special oration of the occasion on the topic, L' The College for the Times. All these addresses were eminently able productions, and worthy of the important event in the history of the institu- tion. Thus furnished with this excellent equipment of a new building, so well adapted to the purposes of a higher education for our youth, Heidelberg entered upon a new era in her eventful history. Having thus sketched the narrative of the events which led to the erection of the main buildings, the next important step taken in the progress of the institution that challenges our attention was the relinquishment of its charter constituting it a college. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on the 18th and 19th of March, 1890, the articles of incorpora- tion of Heidelberg College were amended, enlarging the purpose of the institution and changing its corporate name to Heidelberg University, and the title of Board of Trus- tees to that of 'K Board of Regents. These changes were legalized, as certified by the Secretary of State at Columbus, Ohio, on the 28th day of March, 1890. According to the original provisions of the amended articles of incorporation, the following departments were established, viz. 1- Q 1. The Literary, which was to include the College proper, and the Academy. 2. The Conservatory of Music. 3. The Commercial School. 4. The Department of Art, 5. The Polytechnic Department. It was also ordered that other departments may be established by the Board of Regents whenever, in the judgment of said Board, they may be needed. It may be stated in this connection, that the Polytechnic Department, after an exper- iment of two years, was abandoned. , T ' The University, as constituted under the provisions of its present charter, now includes the College of Liberal Arts, the Academy, the Conservatory of Music, the Art Department, the Commercial School, the School of Pedagogy, and the School of Oratory and Art of Expression. The institution has been fortunate in coming into possession of quite a respectable col- lection of geological, mineralogical, and other valuable specimens of the physical world. The venerable Rev. R. Good, D. Sc., during his long service as Professor of the Natural Sciences, had succeeded in collecting a large number of these curiosities. Friends and patrons of the institution had kindly presented others. But, during the year 1890 two large and valuable museums were added to the collection by Revs. Drs. I. I. Swander and John Kost. To house and properly exhibit the enlarged museum it became necessary to erect a special building This was accomplished during the year 1893, when a neat and attractive structure was erected on the campus, north by east of the old college building. The build- ing was so constructed at the same time as to include a large' and commodious room for gymnasium purposes, Which, in order to keep pace with modern educational facilities, had become a necessityi, During the following year, through the munificent generosity of Regent Qnow President of the Boardj Geo. F. Bareis, Esq., of Canal Winchester, Ohio, the gymnasium was excellently furnished with suitable apparatus for the accommodation of the students in physical training. Since that date a Physical Director has been employed, and regular instruction has been given in this important branch of education. Heidelberg has been fortunate in having literary organizations among the students, which, in every well-equipped college, or university, prove such a valuable factor in acquir- ing a knowledge of parliamentary law, and in developing the native powers of the soul in