THE HESPERIAN
students in attendance at the University for
the first year, to population, was nearly the
same as at present about one to one thou
sand. Those of us who had assembled on
that bright autumn morning, did the be3t we
could to occupy the benches in the chapel,
calculated to seat about two hundred and
fifty persons. The chapel of that period was
not a very inviting room. About all it had
to recommend it was cubic content. The
floor was level; there was no gallery except
across the south end, accomodating about
one hundred persons; a rectangular platform
was raised at the north end, about twelve
feet in width and extending from window to
window. The newly plastered white walls,
the woodwork, including benches all freshly
painted white, gave to the whole room a
ghastly appearance which was far from
pleasant. In the winter season there was
added to the furniture two large red hot
st0 7es; yet we were frequently frozen out.
Lincoln was then a little place of about
three thousand people. There was novater
except the primitive well, no sewerage, com
paratively few sidewalks, no street cars or
pavements. A gas plant was just beginning
operationo. The University campus was
"away out," and it wasjibout as raw a piece
of prairie as could be found, save for the
building just completed.
At first only a few rooms in the main
building were occupied. They were with
one exception on the south side on the first
a nd second floors. The preparatory school,
the departments of Greek, (ancient langua
ges) and Mathematics were assigned to the
rooms which they still occupy. These are
noteworthy examples of the tenacity of cus
tom in the development of institutions. The
Chancellor's office was in the room now used
as a lecture room by the department of Phil
osophy. The room opposite eastward, was
occupied by the janitor. Then, one man
taught the natural sciences, Chemistry,
Physics, Botany, Zoology and Geology, and
the room now used by the business and
finance officers was the general science lec
ture room. The library "and reading room
occupied thospace now assigned to the de
partment of American History. The Mus
eum occupied the west room on the first floor
in the north wing, now used as the book
store room for' the library. The Palladian
literary society, organized soon after the
opening of "the first term, occupied the cor
responding room in thejnorth wing on the
east side, now used as the general reading
room. The room now used as the Chan
cellor's office was the general science appa
ratus room. The department of English
Literature occupied the south west room on
the second floor. The only science accom
panied by practical laboratory work was
Chemistry. But the equipment for experi
mental Physics was the most cxliaustive. It
consisted chiefly of a large air pump. The
Chemical laboratory occupied'the rooms'now
assigned to the department of Civil Engine
ering on the first floor.
On one occasion there was a remarkable
reaction in the chemical laboratory. A
large water tank had been erected against
the north wall in the northeast corner room,
for supplying water to the work tables.
Behind one of the timbers supporting the
tank and'between the post and the wall, we
discovered that a large rattlesnade had
gone into winter quarters. We soon
captured the creature and put him to soak.
But it made our nerves a little unsteady for
some time afterward when we reflected
upon the fact that for days possibly, we had
been passing back and forth within a foot
of the dangerous reptile.
In the limited space assigned to me it is
impossible to do more than make slight
reference to the early college sports, songs,
yells etc. They were all here in a healthy
state of activity, but different of course,
from those of today. The Greek letter
fraternities were also abroad in the land,
but there were not sufficient numbers in
ollege classes above Freshmen, to make
installation of a chapter possible.
One thing has come down to us from the