Newberry Hall

The large excavation made on the Students Christian Association's lot on State street, indicates the erection of a building of considerable size and our readers will no doubt be pleased to see a correct representation of the building now in process of erection and the plans for its interior. The project of erectiug such a building has been agitated for several years, but the active efforts durtng the past year of A. E. Jennings, the solicitïng agent for the association and the munQcence of Mis. Jolm S. Newberry, of Detroit, have enabled the association to erect the building this year. For some years, the Christian Association, which have been doing good vvork in cramped quarters, have feit the need of such a building' and in view of this, the association was incorporated under the state lavvs on February 28, 18S3. ïhe associatiou that 'year eiected a board of nine trustees from members of the faculty of which Trof. M. L. D'Ooge, was chairraan; Prof. V. M. Spaukliug,secretary, and Dr. V. J. Herdman, treasurer. Witbin two weeks after their election, the trustees decided to purchase the lot on wiiich Newberry Hall is now going up, for S2,500, and to erect a stone building thereon as soon as the necessary f unds could be raised. ïhe amount necessary to pay for the lot was soon pledged by the.faeulty and the citizens of this citv. THE OltlOIXAL PLAN was for a one story building, which it was estimated would cost 15,000 and steps were at once taken to raise this amount by subseription. Bat while subscriptions were ' slowly coming in, the association was rapidly growing and it was seen that a larger building would undoubtedly be needed. Last year A. E . Jennings, '89, was appointed soliciting agent of the association and spent the suiiimer in obtaining subscriptions. Mis. John S. Xewberry, of Detroit, íinally made the generous ofi'er of S15,000 as a memorial for her husband Hop. John S. JSTewberry, a gradúate of the University in the class of 1845, of which he was the orator. The excavation for the new building has been made. LAYING THE GOKKER BTONE will be made the occasion for appropriate exercises. These will take place on the twenty-sixth day of May next. The Mason work is contracted to be finished by October and the building committee hopes to have the new ; building completed,as shown id the cut in these columns, by Maren 15, 1S9. ; It is a noble work the association bas ! undertaken and the building will prove ' a worthy home for sucii an association. i The architectsof NETVBERRY HALL are Spier & Ilohn, of Detroit. Their plans were completed and accepted iast March and cali for a building which flnished aud f urnislied will cost 30,000. The uew building will be built of stone and will be two stories and a basenlent in height. ïhe stone is of the same vanety which already appears in so many beautiful buildinss in the city. The cut stone, which will be used in the building, will be the "Ohio Blue" and the "Forest city" (browu) stone. The ediSce will be 02 x 91 feet on the outside. The cut gives a mach better idea of the exterior of the building than any worda of ours can. THE BASEMENT. will of course.contain the steam heating apparatus and there will be plenty of spare space left to tax the ingenuity of the association to find use for. However there is uo doubt that by the time the hall is completed the available space in the basement will be fully occupied, THE FIRST i-TOKY will contaiu six rooms, the plan of which is shown in the accompanying cut. The reception room, the reading room, the ladies parlor and threeprayer meeting rooms are arranged witi. t'oklingdoors so that they may be thrown together for use at social gatherings. TIIE SECOÜTD STORY will eontain the auditorium for general meetings with a seating capacity of 550 persons. It is intended to furnish the room so as to make it as pleaaant and comfortable as possible. In front of it will be three smaller rooms for the secretary and other students in charge of the meetings. In the tower will be a very pleasant coaimittee room. Walker Bros., of this city, the builders of the Baptist and Unitarian churches, have the contract for the stone vvork. As will be seen from a study of tlie plans as showu in the accompanying cuts, the association will have a building of whicli they muy well f'eel proud and one which will naturally givè au ímpetus to their work. More especially will this be true, if the association is not disappointed in secnring, dming tlie coming suminer, an endowment fund, of ?25,U00, to pay the running expenses and the salary of a secretanwho sliall devote his time to the worlí of the association. The prospects for securing this endowment are excellent. The association may then Degin a nevv career of usefulness. Already it is tlie largest college Christian association in the country and has about 400 rnembers. It was starled in 1857 with ílt'teen members and year by year has gained in favor and in usefulness. Nevvberry Hall is a grand memorial for a loyal son of the Universitv who attained distinction in civil lite., ít will add vastly to the influence of the association; it will tend to a considerable extent to allay the unfouuded prejudice against the University in certdin religious quarters; it will be an ornament to State street an city .