Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Ceramic Engineering - Journal Article [PAGE 1]

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Ting Chemistry, Vol.

DEDICATION OF THE, NEW CELRAMIG ENGINEERING BUILDING UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

On December 6th and 7th, the University of Illinois dedicated its new Ceramic Engineering Building. The dedication exercises were opened at 1.30 P.M. on Wednesday, December 6th, by a meeting of the Advisory Board of the Department followed by a reception in the building, at which all of the laboratories were thrown open to the visiting guests and the University public. On the evening of Wednesday an introductory session was held in the University Auditorium, presided over by Dr. Edmund J. James, President of the University. At this session. Dr. S. W. Stratton, Director of the National Bureau of Standards, gave an address of "The Ceramic Resources of America." This was followed by an address on "Science as an Agency in the Development of the Portland Cement Industries," by Mr. J. P. Beck, General Manager of the Portland Cement Association of Chicago. Dr. Stratton discussed the organization and formation of the different types of clay deposits together with their most prominent geological and geographical positions in the United States. This was followed by a discussion of the reactions occurring during the burning of clay products. A detailed classification of the various clay products fashioned from ceramic materials was also presented. The whole address gave a very clear idea of the great variety and extent of the clay resources of the nation and the multifold products which are manufactured from them. The second dedicatory session was of a technical nature and assembled on Thursday morning in the University Auditorium. It was opened with an address on "The Manufacturer's Dependence upon Ceramic Research," by Mr. W. D. Gates, president of the American Terra Cotta and Ceramic Company, of Chicago. This was followed by further discussions by Mr. Ross C. Purdy, Research Engineer of the Norton Company, and by Mr. L. E. Barringer, Engineer of Insulations for the General Electric Company. Mr. C. H. Kerr, who was to discuss the same topic from the standpoint of the problems of the day industries, was unable to be present, but sent his discussion for presentation. The second address of this session was given by Mr. W. W. Marr, Chief State Highway Engineer of Illinois, upon the topic "The Use of Ceramic Materials in Highway Construction." This paper was discussed in a very interesting manner by Mr. Blair, Secretary of the National Paving Brick Manufacturers' Association, of Cleveland, Ohio, and by Mr. G. G. Wooley, Engineer for the Road Bureau of the Portland Cement Association, Chicago. A paper on the topic "Ceramic Products as Structural Materials" was presented by Mr. H. J. Burt, Structural Engineer, of Chicago, and discussed by Mr. A. V. Bleiningcr, Ceramic Chemist and Head of the Clay Products Laboratory of the United States Bureau of Standards. The last topic for discussion at this session was "The Use of Ceramic Products in the Artistic Embellishment of Buildings." The discussion was opened with a paper by Mr. Claude Bragdon, author and architect, of Rochester, New York, which was dis cussed by Mr. G. C. Mars of St. Louis. Mr. F. Wm. Walker, who was to have discussed the same topic, was unable to be present. At the close of the forenoon session, the speakers and guests of the University were entertained at luncheon at the University Club by the dean and beads of departments of the College of Engineering. The formal session of dedication convened at the University Auditorium in the afternoon. It was presided over by Dean W. F. M. Goss of the College of Engineering. Introductory addresses were made by the Honorable Edward F. Dunne, Governor of the State of Illinois, and by Honorable W. L. Abbott, President of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. The principal address of this session was then given by Professor Charles F. Binns, Director of the New York State School of Clay working and Ceramics, upon the topic "The History of the Ceramic Arts." The exercises were closed with an address by the President of the University, describing the history of the growth of the Department of Ceramic Engineering. After singing "America," the audience marched to the new building where the prayer of dedication was delivered by the Rev. John Mitchell Page. On the evening of the 7th, an Illinois student branch of the American Ceramic Society was formally installed by Mr. L. E. Barringer, President of the Society. The addresses by Mr. Beck, Mr. Gates, Mr. Barringer and Mr. Kerr appear in full below.

DESCRIPTION OP THE CERAMIC ENGINEERING BUILDING

The Ceramic Engineering Building, exclusive of the kiln laboratory to which it is connected by means of a corridor, covers a ground area of 67 X 189 feet, with a basement under all. It is a three-story building and is constructed of materials which are representative of the ceramic arts, high-grade brick, tile, terra cotta, cement and gypsum products being used throughout. The entire basement is given over to the fan system and storage rooms. The first floor contains the ceramic materials laboratories and an office and private laboratory. On the second floor will be found the offices of the department, offices and private laboratories for two professors, the library, lecture, class and drafting rooms, and several laboratories devoted to chemical and physical work and to high temperature investigations. For the present, the offices and laboratories of the Geological Survey occupy the third story of the building, and a portion of the first floor is also given over to the concrete testing laboratory. Space Is provided on a fourth floor for the distilling apparatus which furnishes a supply of pure distilled water for the building. The walls of the main corridor on the first floor have been decorated with display panels showing different styles of face brick. These panels were donated and erected by the following firms: Western Brick Company, Danville, Illinois. Sheldon Brick Company, Urbmm, Illinois. Hydraulic-Press Brick Company. St. Louis, Missouri; Indian* npolis, Indiana; Aledo, Illinois.