University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

Page 14 text:

The New Era” marks expansion of Pitt’s physical dimensions as can be seen in this air view of the University’s Medical Center, most rapidly advancing area on the campus. In the foreground Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health, still under construction, is surrounded by DeSoto Hall, Nurse’s Residence, Children’s Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, School of Health Professions, and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. PITT TAKES ON NEW DIMENSIONS One hundred and seventy years ago the people of Pittsburgh embarked upon a New Era”—an era dedicated to providing higher education to the people of the Pittsburgh district. The first efforts of these early settlers led by Hugh Henry Brackcnridgc was the founding of the log Academy in the Pittsburgh of 1787. This was the beginning—the start of the era. From the Academy has evolved the University we know today. But it wasn’t that simple. In the 1790’s a new Academy, a two-story brick building, was erected next to the log house on the lot at Third ami Cherry Alley. Then, by 1819, another kind of expansion became necessary. Academy-trained men had to go away from Pittsburgh to universities in the East to continue their educations. The city, now numbering 7,000 people, sought and received in 10 February, 1819, the charter of the Western University of Pennsylvania. Twice the University was destroyed by fire, in 1845 and again in 1849. and each time the people of Pittsburgh rallied to its aid and rebuilt it. When it outgrew its few buildings in Old Allegheny, the University was moved hack across the river to a pasture in Oakland where, in 1908. it became the University of Pittsburgh. In the 1920's and 1930’s the citizens of this industrial community were again called upon to aid their University. The nearly ten thousand students enrolled in 1924 and the certainty of increasing enrollment showed a need for expansion. The University’s Chancellor, John Gabbcrt Bowman, convinced the people of Pittsburgh that new buildings must provide, in addition to space, beauty and

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Edwird 11. Litchfield; alter V. ieh, i? istanl chancellor—h k M'ww nfftttv. .WheelV..Na VWwo, m vs vA cWtcAVn a mw a v development; Charlci B. Ptikt, mutant chancetlor-wiwknv aftaitw.VW ywvvvow tttnatwl vAvt VA,N w.fVam W v cks£ e . Crawford will act as liaison between tk Wtt awl mote yosdk, tk m cVatwWot ot tk the individual members ol the faculty. In addition,be will M tbeen tM.Tks ykmtwo® serve as secretary to the Hoard of Trustees, tk dtniais- oi tk n tk waWtuV smt, trative Committee, and other committees, Earned as tk K w as ks eol tkkuAkk vice chancellor o( tk professions was lit. this 1, Mu. at de ehtn» ec tuot.%hkev to' l)r. Stahr will direct tk schools ol In, en inccri , ctW » m to k C m kt m cation, and tk other professional schools. The assistant hastVtn will assist k Ikwv chancellor o( business allairs is I)r. alter 1'. Web, lit, tlo not w k k ClmkV Vieli’s primary duty is financial planning andVecpm® the 'These ate kmiuheo Iniversily operating within the kits ol its budget.Hr. ; u e Vlterne k Albert C. V ait Ditsen was named as the assistant ehaucel lor of planning and development, a job that attempts to who ate. alfetttpk te promote a strong bond between the. InivetsiVj ant its teptesewkW'witwA the c who wwtsl alumni and works to obtain funds to help katiee Ahwet V lie tweisl t wt sily programs. Tin matt in charge of all sltttlnl fett l)r. Charles II. Peake, assistant chancek olsltnW i Vl ew kw (airs. Dr. Peake's primary concetti is lieslwtklM, eewisislsetUlie

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performance worth) of a great university. Thus, a Gothic skyscraper -which was as revolutionary to architecture as to education was designed. The people and corpora-tions of this community donated over eight-million dollars much of n in the midst of this country’s severest depression to build the beautiful Cathedral of Learning. I his. the) thought, would satisfy the educational needs of the district for many future years. The Cathedral of Learning is not a revolution hut a conclusion,” stated the 1929 Owl. But it wasn t a conclusion. It was just another step, although a very large step, in the continuation of the era that had started 140 years before. In the past few years the need for physical expansion has again become evident. .New buildings, particularly to house students of the medical professions, have sprung up all over the Oakland campus. Just this year two new buildings—George Iiuhhard Clapp Hall and The School of Health Professions—have opened their doors to students for the first time and the Graduate School of Public Health is under construction. In conjunction with this constructional expansion the University has acquired other valuable property through purchases and gifts. Among the purchases are the luxurious Schenley Hotel and Apartments. 1 he hotel, serving {continued on page 11) Parking ban always been a campus problem. With the construction of multi-floor parking garages in the near future tbe problem will be solved. However, tbe situation was lessened this year with the opening of the new faculty parking lot (above). Pitt students in the new ScIukjI of the Health Professions didn’t have to worry about cutching an elevator; they used escalators. II