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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1897)
BUILDING SUBBEEMENT. A GROUP OF YALE BUILDINGS ERECTED BY SPERRY & TREAT (FORMERLY SMITH, SPERRY & TREAT). THE YALE BUILDING ERA. With a Sketch of the Works of Those who have Taken the most Active Part in it. . The time never was—certainly under the present administration,—when Yale was not quietly reminding her friends of the opportunities for the investment of funds for their own memory, in the cause of education and for the advance- ment of Yale, in building projects of onemeansoranother. Notafew of these suggestions have been responded to with the largest liberality in recent years. In fact, these latter times will always be noted in the history of the University as the building era. In view of this fact the WEEKLY has arranged for the repro- duction, in this special issue, of addi- tions to Yale that have, in compara- tively recent times, been made. Only two or three of the buildings here re- produced date beyond the last twelve years or so. The men who have erected the build- ings of an institution like Yale, become in a manner more or less identified with the institution, and the works of those who have had the largest part in the construction of buildings of Yale are here reproduced quite fully. These next few pages, by their very nature, must be, in a very real and substantial way, an advertisement for the builders who are mentioned therein, and it is to be clearly understood that the expenses of the preparation of these articles are borne by these builders who are here mentioned. It has been, however, the purpose of the WEEKLY, in introducing this illustrated and historical chapter on Yale buildings, to present a review of this part of the history of Yale in an accurate and, as far as possible, an interesting way, and the matter has been carefully edited with that end in view. A Prolific Yale Building Firm. One can hardly turn to the right or to the left in going through the buildings of Yale, without casting his eye upon some structure which has been con- structed by the New Haven firm of Smith, Sperry & Treat, now Sperry & Treat. The illustrations on this and on the third page give their main opera- tions here. The total value of the struc- tures which they have raised for Yale must run considerably over a million of dollars. This chapter does not treat, with a single very recent exception, of the society buildings which have been put up within recent times. The beau- tiful brown stone building on Prospect street, the home of a very widely known Academical society, is a part of their work. Its appearance is familiar to all who have been in New Haven for a good many years. It is not without interest to Yale men to be reminded that Mr. Sperry, of this firm, is the present Congressman from this district who fought so well for Yale and all universities against the Dingley tariff on books and instruments. In his long and distinguished service in the New Haven post office and in other pub- lic positions, he has become known to a large number of Yale alumni. Farnam Hall. The first piece of work this firm un- dertook for the College was the build- ing of Farnam in 1869, about 28 years ago. This dormitory is the oldest of the newer structures that became nec- essary when Old Brick Row was taxed to its utmost limit. It is mainly the gift of Mr. Henry Farnam, whose name it bears, and consists of forty-nine rooms, reached by three entries. Its construction material is red brick with stone facings, and two pillars of gran- ite at each entrance. At the time this dormitory was proposed the question arose as to where it should be placed in order that the plan of the College yard might be changed with a view to the construction of future buildings. It was finally decided to place Battell Chapel on the corner, and Farnam Col- lege in immediate contact with it. This was done in the expectation that the later buildings should be placed on the outer lines of the College yard, facing inward, | Durfee Hall. Two years later, or in 1871, the same firm completed Durfee College, which at that time stood unrivalled among buildings of its kind the country over. It is situated on Elm street at the north end of the College Campus, and occu- pies in part the site of the old Divinity College. The dormitory was the gift of Mr. Bradford M. C. Durfee, and was completed just before his death. The building contains forty suites of rooms, grouped on five staircases; each suite occupies the entire width of the build- ing, with the study facing on the Col- legé yard, and two bedrooms directly in the rear. Its dimensions are 181x40 feet, and its material consists of New Jersey sandstone with belts of Hudson River bluestone, and red trimmings. At the time of its construction it was recognized to be one of the finest college dormitories in the country, and until the construction of Welch, White and Vanderbilt Halls was almost exclusively occupied by Seniors. Its proximity to the fence, the centre of College life and spirit, renders it still more desirable. Battell. ' The third building erected on the Campus for religious services, Battell Chapel, has been generally considered one of the handsomest of the buildings of Yale. Theonly criticism that is ever made in connection with it is in regard to its location, which has somewhat prevented the appreciation of its archi- tectural beauty. The addition to the Chapel, recently made, brings the whole structure some- what within the history of the recent growth of Yale. The original Battell Chapel was huilt mainly by the funds given by Mr. Joseph Battell of New York City, and on its dedication .on June 18th, 1876, it was given its present name in his memory. Its situation on the corner of Elm and College streets is in accordance with the plan for the quadrangle then conceived. Its erec- tion was entrusted to this same firm of Smith, Sperry & Treat of New Haven.
