Reed College - Griffin Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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n, and Wi t e attributes of an cnei Premous things of life i; .g for a c0116ng seal. i 'ld'Pg Which are distinctive Stairway. It is hnishedi nelhng, and is knownmja; were made removabletols; blets t0 distinguishcdRe; y for the insertion oibronz: come is to be a memori: ture accomplished in :22: he staircase winds is net; iall groined vaults, and ti: ned in the stairway, arepri-t less planning and remodeiiri the new creation. Care? variety of doors and arch: ?erent sources but brouii llin , scarlet hangingsroii loregd ceilings form 211363513; 5 is added by the omc-x: irs and pulpit, heams and king 135 rose deisgn; ac ds an an ber roof also 1611 . d ., lannmg Oiiihii make 3135?? ' ou nit? mlei Sat? 6 theoidEsv. ates :2 d t e fotCSqUCi lore Tr local tradition for the features of a home. The purpose of the Dormitory is shown through the Choice of suggestive decorations that have a diHerent significance from those of the Arts building. The gargoyles on the Administration building have little signifi- cance, the conventional lion being used on the water spouts and small boy grotesques for the corners of the oriel. On the dormitory, however, the little boy and animal gro- tesques, some studious, happy, some snappily wide-awake, others sleepy, comprise a good part of the decorations and symbolize the use of the build- ing for recreation and sleep and preparation for work. However, conventional de- A: a signs, common to similar struc- k WWW a tures, such as the griHin, en rampant, the lion carrying the cross of light, and little meaningless grotesques in odd corners have been added. The south facade of the Sally Port holds the most interest. Sally Port, by the way, is adopted from old French medieval Gothic. In the days when every man,s home was his castle, the Sally Port was a place from which to dash forth in de- fense. It seems to have lost significance for the co-eds, however, except, perhaps, at meal-time, when they sally forth in the old familiar way. The archway, beautiful but less formal than the principal one on the Arts building, is appropriately designed. The griffin forms the basis for the architrave and the spandrels. Nox and Lux, the moon-faced individuals which form the bosses or ends for the 16153! tprojecting molding built as a dripstone around an opening in Gothic architectureh, are sly, happy, sleepy gro- tesques. Nox, to the west, represents deep sleep after a full school day. Lux, on east side, winks in jolly manner to the new mormng. Page Seventeen

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Page Sixteen developed along with the establishing of the feudal manor, the mythical significances Current before the Dark Ages were re- instated and the griH-in soon found widespread usage on es- cutcheons. It is clear, then, why the griH'in was emblazoned on the coat-of-arms of Simeon G. Reed, an Englishman, and why, with such historical significance and the attributes of an. enemy of ignorance and a guardian of the precious things of life, few symbols could have been more fitting for a college seal. . Of other features of the Arts building which are distinctive, the most noteworthy is the Chapel stair-way. It is finished in stone and brick, with heavy oak panelling, and is known as the Staircase of Emulation. The panels were made removable, to be replaced, some day, by carved tablets to distinguished Reed students, and the brick walls are ready for the insertion of bronze memorials. The place in years to come is to be a memorial stairway. The graceful architecture accomplished in the rectangular space through which the staircase winds is note- worthy. The shape of the two small groined vaults, and the peculiar luxurious spaciousness attained in the stairway, are proof of the success of the architects ceaseless planning and remodelling from famous staircase models for the new creation. Care of adaptation is shown in the great variety of doors and arches everywhere, all modelled from different sources but brought together into one harmonious whole. In the Chapel, the dark oak panelling, scarlet hangings, rough yellow stucco, and smooth cream-colored ceilings form a pleasing color scheme. An air of stateliness is added by the dome-like structure of the apse, the carved chairs and pulpit, and the open timber roof of elaborated hammer beams and king posts. The bronze lamp-pendants, of intricate rose deisgn, act as contrast to the dark beams. The open timber roof also lends an air of solid permanency to the whole. When the architect came to the planning of the dormitory, he unconsciously unbent and twith a smilel sought to make a large budding domestic. He and his associates searched the old English manor houses for the plan, the folk lore and the grotesques, and

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The sun-dial over the windows is a feature of especial interest, although it works most accurately, unfortunately, in the'summer time when no one is on the campus. The irregular rul1ngs cal- culated by Dr. F. L. GriH-in are so adjusted as to minimize the errors which necessarily affect any dial. The four days of the year when the dial is strictly correct are Aprilaoth, June 9th, September 3rd, and December 22nd. Perhaps if college Classes were begun by the sun-dial, Co-eds could sleep fifteen minutes longer on some daySethough on others they would have to arise fifteen minutes earlier! The parapet, or battlement, adopted in architecture today simply as ornament Hound on both the Arts building and the Dormitoryi has come back into the old medieval usage over the Sally Port, in the practice of water-bagging. It must be con- ceded, however, that the distressing eHects of the local tradition have never, thus far, been so permanent as those sometimes suffered from the missiles thrown by defenders of old. The Beaver finials capping the two gables over the roof were chosen, not as cynical reference to the activities of students, but as symbols of Oregon, the Beaver State. Undoubtedly, other grotesques oflocal tradition will be added by future college Classes. Thus far, the owl and moon, emblems of two houses, have ap- peared. Curiously, both refer to the nocturnal side of life. The crowning feature of the dormitories are the groups of Chimneys. They are truly domestic features, and, though modified for this locality, are much elaborated as in English manor houses. Only through many journeys of discovery may one grow to appreciate fully these magnificent buildings, with their little details of out-of-the-way interest and their broad sweeps of perfect line and color. Though a combination of many different perlods . of architecture, their various features have been so harmoniously blended as to have become a new and beautiful creation. h-BEATRICE OLSON, T24. Sketches by OTTO GEORGE, ,25. Page Eigh teen