Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/261

 THE EARLIER BUILDINGS 227 Prior to the appointment of a Business Manager, in 1894, the duties of most of these committees were very exacting. The Committee on Buildings and Grounds found itself con- fronted very early by an imperative demand for at least one temporary structure, to provide for the physical training of the students, for the Library, and for the Press. It had been hoped by the authorities that funds could be found for a fine gymnasium and also for an adequate Library building. Earnest efforts were made at the outset to secure these necessary buildings, but quite in vain. It was finally determined, therefore, that as provision must be made for the physical training of the students, and for housing a great library, a temporary structure of brick should be erected to provide as well as might be for both these needs, and for a printing-office also, under one roof. It was on July 5, 1892, less than three months before the University was to be opened for the beginning of the work of instruction, that the Trustees took the following action: The matter of making temporary provision for the library and for a gym- nasium was referred to the Committee on Buildings and Grounds. The effort to raise a million dollars in ninety days had just been successfully concluded. Funds had been secured for nine buildings, but nothing for physical training, or for the libraries. Plans were therefore made without delay, for the temporary building to meet these needs. It was at first proposed to locate it on the northwest corner of Ellis Avenue and Fifty-eighth Street where the Press Building was later erected, and to build it in twenty days. But the lot then owned, at that point, proving too small, on August 29 the Committee voted to place the building in the center of the north- east quadrangle, the site of what later became Hutchinson Court. It was built as cheaply as possible, without permanent foundations, of common brick, one story in height and with a flat roof. The roof was supported by trusses standing above it, framed of large timbers, appearing like monstrous saw horses holding it down. The building was begun in September and finished in December, 1892. It was very large on the ground, being one hundred feet wide and two hundred and fifty feet long. The north end was