Campus Buildings
The College of Literature, Science, and Arts is situated at IRVINGTON, a suburb of Indianapolis, four miles east of the city, on the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis, and the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis Railways; it is also connected with Indianapolis by street cars, making trips every hour. Irvington is tastefully laid out among forest trees, with well-graveled streets and walks. It has two churches - Christian and Methodist, a fine public school building and a graded school of high order. It is a healthy locality, free from saloons and places of amusement.
1888-89 Annual Catalogue of Butler University
The twenty-five-acre campus stretched from Emerson Avenue on the west to Ohmer and Downey avenues. The land had been the property of Josephus Collett, purchased by Irvington at a cost of $ I 9,000 for its donation to the university. Eventually Butler Avenue ran south from Washington Street past the main buildings on the cast. It intersected University Avenue, which wound from the campus east to the Pennsylvania Railroad station at Audubon Road, replacing the loose plank walk that at first spanned the marshy ground. |
Departments of Study
The studies in the Freshman and Sophomore years are all prescribed. The studies of these years, including also the Preparatory studies, are held to be essential for laying the proper foundation of a liberal education, and are chosen with special reference to discipline of mind and to impart information of the most practical kind.
At the beginning of the Junior year, also, the student has gained such a knowledge of himself and such an acquaintance with subjects of study, as will enable him to make a judicious choice from among the electives offered in the Junior and Senior years.
Classical Course - This course is designed to be equal to that in our best colleges, and furnishes ample facilities for pursuing linguistic studies to the close of the Senior year. In this course German may be substituted for Greek, beginning in the second Preparatory year, and continuing through nine terms. Thus a modern Classic course is offered to the student, leading to the same degree as that given to the student of Ancient Classics.
Scientific Course - In this course less Latin and no Greek is required, while the study of the Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Modern Languages is increased, embracing a larger number of sciences than the Classical Course, and usually they are pursued through a greater number of terms than is required of Classical students. The same requirements in respect to daily recitations and years of study are made in this course as in the Classical.
1888-89 Annual Catalogue of Butler University
1. MENTAL PHILOSOPHY AND CIVICS
Required - Psychology - History of Philosophy - Logic Electives - Political Economy - Constitution of U.S - International Law 2. PURE AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS - Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Plane and Spherical, with their applications in Analytical Geometry, Mechanics and Astronomy 3. ENGLISH LITERATURE - Whatever a man's vocation may be, he should be able to maintain literary interest for his own in instruction and culture. This fact has led to an English course, extending through the four college years. 4. LATIN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE - Latin is continued as a required study till the close of the Sophomore year. 5. GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 6. NATURAL HISTORY AND GEOLOGY - Zoology - Physiology - Botany - Geology 7. PHYSICS 8. CHEMISTRY 9. MODERN LANGUAGES - German - French 10. THE BIBLE AND BIBLICAL LITERATURE |
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Administration Building
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Dormitory
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Observatory
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Bona Thompson Library
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Burgess Hall
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The University building is of brick trimmed with stone, having a frontage of 135 feet, and a depth of 75 feet, containing in all twenty-four recitation rooms, besides halls, corridors, cloak and retiring rooms. It is heated throughout by steam, supplied with water, and lighted by gas; and, in its internal finish and arrangements, thoroughly suited to the purposes for which it was designed. For convenience, commodiousness and comfort it is all that can be required. |
The first building was never named. It was "a good substantial, plain structure of sufficient capacity to accommodate ... about 500 students." Like so many other "Old Main" buildings on midwestern campuses, it would provide classrooms, a chapel, a library, and meeting spaces for the literary societies. The structure was of brick with stone trim. It cost $58,186. |
This building is of brick, tastefully and substantially built, and sufficient for the accommodation of sixty resident students; and its dining hall is large enough to seat at its tables many more. Students are are boarded at cost, and at the lowest cost compatible with wholesome living. The average cost for the year has been $2.25 for table board and 40 cents per week for room rent. Each room is furnished with stove, bedstead, mattress, table, chairs and wardrobe, the student furnishes whatever else be may need. Students may room at other houses and take their meals at the Hall; many young men have found it convenient to do so. Those who live near, and who go home on Saturday to return on Monday, are allowed a proportional reduction of price. |
A rare opportunity to purchase a telescope presented itself in 1889. The instrument was offered for sale in Louisville, Kentucky, at a price of $1,200. Hanover College made an offer, but its president asked to delay the purchase. Board member Joseph Irwin promptly stepped in and bought the telescope for Butler. Irwin also provided funds to build a small observatory and mount the instrument. The observatory, on the northeast corner of the main campus. At full power the telescope resolved some double stars. Lower settings provided excellent displays of moon. When the university moved to Fairview, the telescope was moved and mounted on the roof of Jordan Hall. |
The impressive Beta Thompson Memorial Library, completed at the end of 1903, was the last permanent structure erected for the Irvington campus. In 1901 Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Thompson came forward with a proposal to donate an initial $10,000 and land at Downey and University avenues for a library building as a memorial to their daughter, Bona, of the class of 1897. She had recently died of typhoid after returning from a European trip, a graduation gift from her parents. Directors accepted the offer "with gratitude and profound thanks." The library had never been housed properly. The collections, though still inadequate, were growing and needed more space. Professor Dernarchus C. Brown, in charge of the library, had been urging its return to the main building from Burgess Hall, fearing that the science laboratories posed a threat of fire. The Thompsons asked to be permitted to approve architectural plans and insisted on a fireproof building. |
In 1883, need for a second academic building became apparent. Burgess Hall was a three-floor brick structure trimmed with stone, not unlike the main building. Facing Butler Avenue, it stood south of the first building, set back slightly west. In 1892 it became better known as "science hall" when faculty urged the need to separate science classrooms from others. The laboratories were stinking up the main building. College science classes joined the preps in Burgess. Heating and lighting became problems for the preps and science students and their mentors. Omar Wilson, head of the Preparatory Department, reported that "we all shivered and looked blue and felt bluer." |