There was an insurance on the chapel of $3,000. Something had been previously accumulating through special solicitations and the benevolence of friends, for enlarging the hall for young women. That addition was in progress at the time of the fire. This building contained the boarding and laundry departments of the school. It had rooms for thirty-two young women. It was proposed to enlarge it by adding another story to the long two-story structure already on the ground, and also a three-story wing, furnishing in all accommodations for seventy-two girls, besides containing two good-sized sitting-rooms, a pleasant sewing-room, and private apartments for the matron and five teachers. This has been completed.
Early last spring, funds were forthcoming for a new hall for young men. Work was immediately begun. A fair crop of “Mississippi brick” was raised on the spot. A sufficient number of men were employed to push on rapidly the work of building. A commodious and pleasing hall 41 × 112 feet stands ready for students.
A deep, roomy basement extends under the whole building, furnishing rooms not only for uses connected with the hall, but also those connected with certain of the industrial departments. The first floor affords us a large room for chapel, two convenient recitation-rooms, an office, and apartments for a small family.
The second and third floors are used as dormitories. The rooms, 34 in number, are of good size, light and airy, neatly and substantially, though simply, furnished. While in the construction of Strieby Hall strict economy has been studied, modern ideas of convenience have been introduced. Water is brought to each floor from large tanks underneath the roof. A large bath-room is on the second floor.
The large “mansion,” which has served a great variety of purposes, has now been turned for the most part into school uses. It has two large recitation-rooms, a library, a reading-room, two music-rooms, besides an office and suitable rooms for one family and guests.
These four buildings, together with the neat little cottage for the president and his family, comprise the chief externals of Tougaloo University. The old building for young men, known as the “Barracks,” is to take its proper and more humble place among the barns and outhouses connected with the farm.
INDUSTRIAL WORK AT TOUGALOO.
By Pres. G. S. Pope.
In considering the desirableness of having Industrial departments in connection with any of our schools, it is necessary, of course, to decide as nearly as possible what the expense of establishing and maintaining such departments will be, and what the advantage to the pupil. In other departments of training it is found necessary to secure liberal endowments in order to meet expenses. Why should more be asked of this? We sustain our Theological departments to train men to be successful preachers of the Word. We sustain our Industrial departments to train them to be successful business men. But one is direct Christian and missionary work. So is the other. God first put man to pruning the garden, not to preaching the gospel. And whatever is done to make the world again a garden is evidently in the line of God’s plan. It is certainly possible for us to give too little weight to the training of workmen. I suppose it is expected that I will present my thoughts in the shadow of experience.