University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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Challenging the attention of students in the Czechoslovak room is the motto of the Czechoslovak Republic, Pravda Vitezi”— Truth Conquers which appears above the blackboard on either side of a bronze relief of the President-Liberator, Thomas G. Masarvk. It was necessary for a committee of men and women of Czechoslovak origin who live in the Pittsburgh district to toil for fifteen years to gather funds and to complete the arrangements of the room. In the wall opposite the entrance door is a shrine, in which is a dedication message from Thomas G. Masarvk, written as President of the Czechoslovak Republic to the students of the University of Pittsburgh. This letter, dated 1929, was placed in the shrine by Jan Masarvk, the son, on March 7, 1939, the day of the dedication of the Czechoslovak room. Overhead in panels cleverly forming one end of the ceiling arc portraits of eight outstanding personalities in Czech and Slovak history. They arc Cyril and Methodius, Knizc Vaclav, Jan Hus, Jan Amos Komenskv, Jan Kollar, and Stur and Movzes. The ceiling is also decorated in the fashion of the old Slovak churches with the native flowers found in the High Tatra Mountains of Czechoslovakia. The portraits on the ceiling were painted by Richard Wiesner of Prague. The plaster walls of the room arc of a mellow white, decorated with Moravian designs. These paintings, miraculous trees that grow flowers, leaves, and birds, are the work of Karel Svolinsky. In the niche at the rear of the room, is the tree of life, whose branches emerge from behind a parchment imbedded in the plaster wall. This manuscript is a proclamation of Charles IV when he founded the University of Prague in 1348. The woodwork is of larch, a characteristic wood of the Carpathian Mountains. The furniture is of oak. The scats of the student chairs arc upholstered in red leather, giving the room an atmosphere of vitality. The panels in the professor's desk arc of magnificent inlay such as arc found in palaces of the Czech Renaissance. The actual work of inlay with rare woods was done by V. Kopka of Moravia. The architectural plans for this classroom were drawn by Bohumil Slama, one of the leading architects of Prague. The bronze relief is the work of O. Spaniel, onetime rector of the National Academy of Art in Prague. It was possible to receive all the works of art because of the personal interest of a Committee in Prague headed by Dr. Jaroslav Preis, president of Zivnostenska Bank, Dr. Alice Masarvk, honorary President of the Czechoslovak Red Cross, Prof. Imrich Karvas of the Comcnius University in Bratislava, and many other distinguished citizens of the Czechoslovak Republic. 21

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Stand Dr. kratochvilc, Mrs. Mitchell, Mr . Jan Papanck, Dr. Papanck, J. Vorech, E. O. Tabor, Paul Blazck, Paul Scurman. Joseph Krai, Stephen Zcman, Rev. Juraj Hankovosky. Mrs. Paul Sturman, Mrs. John Ildaa, Mrs. James Salay. Pravda Vitczi”—Truth Conquers—appears on the front wall of the Czechoslovak Room at each side of a bronze relief of Thomas G. Masaryk. Hand polished larchwood beams arc painted with native flowers and ornamented Slovak designs. Mellow white walls arc covered with colorful Moravian designs. Red upholstered oak chairs and intarsio entrance panelling show the Czech craftsmanship. Right portraits of outstanding natives arc in the ceiling at the front of the room. - —

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Fritz Ucbcrlc. John Loibl. Peter Fitchcr. Henry Meuschke. Rcinhard Ullrich. Solidity and rich dignity arc the outstanding features of the German room. Notable in the classroom is the inlay work in the doors of the four corner cabinets depicting well-known characters in German literature. Handsome walnut paneling covers the walls and ceiling; the sturdy furniture is of the finest burled walnut.