Part 10

MERCANTILE LIBRARY, Tenth Street above Chestnut; was established 1821, at 100 Chestnut Street, present building, originally a market house, with room seventy-four by two hundred feet, and high-arched ceiling, makes ideal condition for library work on one floor; this is a circulating library of general literature for stockholders and members, who only are admitted into the reading room, where they have unrestricted use of books.

PHILADELPHIA CITY INSTITUTE, 218 South Nineteenth Street, was founded, 1852, by public-spirited citizens, for the purpose of benefiting young men, by establishing a free library and night school; library free to the public.

THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA, northeast corner of Thirteenth and Locust Streets, chartered, 1891, from endowment fund, left in will by William Pepper, M.D., LL.D., for a free library in the city of Philadelphia: opened temporarily in City Hall; removed to old Concert Hall, 1217-21 Chestnut Street, now in old building of College of Physicians; contains bust of Dr. Pepper, by Carl Bitter, and portraits; a large new library building is in process of construction on the Parkway, Nineteenth and Vine Streets. Growth and usefulness, from its inception, are due to the management of the late Dr. John Thomson, Librarian; now includes a main building, 26 branches, as well as deposit stations and traveling libraries; total circulation for home use in 1916, 2,767,310. Hearty coöperation exists between the public schools and the Free Library; school extension lectures are given to the children of the grammar grades; and “story hours” are weekly events for younger children in the branch libraries. Reference and periodical departments contain works on art, architecture, and archæology, extremely valuable to the practical student and designer; here are facsimiles of many most noted, of early printed books and manuscripts, Bible codices, etc.; the “open shelf” system is used in all departments. Fine buildings of the branch libraries have been developed in their architectural proportions and decoration, on the traditions of French and English Renaissance, or local expression of the Georgian; always with top lighting, considered extremely important: in the basement of the branch at Seventeenth and Spring Garden Streets is a large and valuable collection of government documents; the Josephine Widener Memorial Branch, Broad Street and Girard Avenue, has reference books of priceless nature and rare prints, issued before A.D. 1500.

HISTORIC MEDICAL COLLEGES, HOSPITALS, AND DISPENSARIES

CHRIST CHRUCH HOSPITAL, Wynnefield Station, Park Trolley and P. R. R.; Gothic stone building; organized, 1772, by Dr. John Kearsley; endowed by Jacob Dobson in 1804; is a home for gentlewomen, communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of Pennsylvania; 150 acres; the Board of Managers include three of the vestry, each, of Christ Church and St. Peter’s Church.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF PHILADELPHIA, Twenty-second Street, above Chestnut; founded about 1787, and modeled on lines of The Royal College of Physicians in London. A scientific paper was read by Dr. Benjamin Rush at the first meeting. English Renaissance, brick, laid Flemish bond, with basement, cornices, pilasters, and other trimmings of Indiana limestone; finest building of a medical society in the world, with the largest medical library, save one, in the United States, and a fine collection of portraits of presidents of the Society, painted by most notable artists. This is not a teaching institution, but a Medical Society, composed of men of professional distinction.

HAHNEMANN MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, 226 North Broad Street. Oldest homeopathic college in the world; founded in 1848; first located at 229 Arch Street. Consolidated with the Homeopathic Medical College in 1869; moved to present site in 1901. Its collections include the world-famous dissection of entire cerebro-spinal nervous system by Dr. Rufus B. Weaver; Dr. Hering’s complete writings of Paracelsus; Dr. A. R. Thomas’s library of old and rare anatomical books; Hahnemann’s works in the original; it has the most complete library of homeopathic literature in existence. Portrait of Dr. W. B. VanLennep; artist, Henry Rittenberg.

HOME OF THE MERCIFUL SAVIOUR, 4400 Baltimore Avenue, on grounds adjoining the Clarence Clark Park; incorporated, 1882; eight houses and chapel, all memorials, with a summer home at Avon-by-the-Sea. A home for crippled, homeless, and helpless children. First of its kind in America where vocational training is taught.

HOSPITAL OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Front Street and Lehigh Avenue. Main group of buildings, pure Norman. Founded by the Right Rev. Alonzo Potter, Bishop of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Caspar Morris, in the ancestral home of two parishioners on the present site. Jenny Lind made the first cash contribution.

JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE, Tenth and Sansom Streets; founded through the efforts of Dr. George B. McClellan; opened, 1825. Present building erected, 1904.

JEFFERSON HOSPITAL, Tenth and Sansom Streets; last word in hospital construction and equipment; originated in the Infirmary established in Jefferson College, 1825; present site was bought, 1875, and the building opened for use in 1877. Amphitheatre is one of the largest in the world. Museum contains casts and wax models of interesting cases. Notable portraits in the building are Dr. Forbes, by Aikens; Dr. DaCosta, by Vonnoh; Dr. Keen, by Chase; Mr. William Potter, by Breckenridge; Dr. William Pancoast, by Uhle; also bronze bust of Dr. Marion Sims, by C. Duboi, Paris, 1876; marble bust of Dr. George McClellan; bronze busts of Daniel Webster and Thomas Jefferson.

JEWISH HOSPITAL, Logan Station; Old York Road and Olney Avenue, entrance is marked with six granite columns from the old United States Mint, formerly on Chestnut Street. Includes twenty buildings, on twenty-two acres of ground, with modern scientific equipment for treatment of sick, care of aged and incurable. A number of art works said to be of considerable value are here.

MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL, Luzerne, near Front Street, 4000 north; on extensive grounds bisected by a well-wooded ravine. Established in 1774, on State Island, for the isolation and treatment of contagious diseases; probably most complete of its kind in the world.

PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL, between Spruce and Pine Streets, Eighth and Ninth Streets; colonial; brick; with great trees and beautiful open spaces in the grounds. First hospital in the United States, founded, 1751, by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin. Corner-stone on present site, laid, 1755, can still be seen; part of this land belonged to William Penn, which he donated. In 1756, here was the first clinical amphitheatre in America. Noah Webster delivered a lecture for the benefit of the hospital in 1786; other benefits received about this time were, a charity sermon preached by Rev. George Whitefield in St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church; and a painting by Benjamin West, “Christ Healing the Sick,” made while he was in London; the English refused to allow the original to come to America; they used it to start the National Gallery; so a replica was painted; it now hangs in the hall; for years the hospital made money by charging a fee to see it. At the Pine Street front is a leaden statue of William Penn, presented by his grandson, John Penn, from Wycombe Park, Bucks, England, estate of Lord le Dispenser. Benjamin Franklin was the first Secretary and the second President; his minute books are still to be seen there, with clear fine handwriting; and interesting letters and documents of colonial and Revolutionary times.

PHILADELPHIA ALMSHOUSE AND GENERAL HOSPITAL, Thirty-fourth and Pine Streets, Blockley; first almshouse was opened in 1713 by the Quakers; not municipal, open only to their sect; located on Walnut, between Third and Fourth Streets. First city almshouse was established in 1732; second in 1767; in 1772 it was the most extensive hospital on the continent. During the Revolutionary War, wounded were cared for here. In Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline becomes a Sister of Mercy and ministers here to the yellow fever sufferers in Philadelphia. Present institution built, 1834; architecture of administration building, Corinthian, marble. The Medical Department antedates the Pennsylvania Hospital.

PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, 145 North Tenth Street; established, 1821, at meeting in Carpenters’ Hall: consists of five large buildings connected by a central building, Romanesque, Pompeian brick and Seneca red stone; largest and first institution in the United States devoted to pharmaceutical and chemical instruction. Laboratories and equipment are without a peer, for most advanced training of men and women as pharmacists and chemists. Museum has a large number of paintings of famous scientists, also the Martindale Herbarium of over 200,000 plant specimens. Library has about 14,000 volumes; around the gallery hang portraits of men who have given largely of their time and substance to the development and advancement of the College, and to the progress and betterment of the city; artists represented, Charles Willson Peale, Hugh H. Breckenridge, Henry R. Rittenberg. Collection of photographs of pharmaceutical subjects, many rare and very valuable.

PRESTON RETREAT, Twentieth and Hamilton Streets, on site of William Penn’s residence; classic, marble: founded by Dr. James Preston in 1837, for married women of good character and indigent circumstances, about to be confined. One of the best equipped in the world.

ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL, Girard Avenue and Sixteenth Street; colonial, brick. Established first in the parish of St. Joseph’s Church, near Fourth and Walnut Streets, for Irish famine refugees who became ill on overcrowded and unventilated ships. Incorporated, 1849. Was third general hospital in Philadelphia.

WILLS’ HOSPITAL, Eighteenth and Race Streets, facing Logan Circle; classic, marble; founded, 1832, by James Wills, Jr., for the indigent blind and lame. Now one of the best in the world as an institution for the study and practice of ophthalmy.

WOMEN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA, North College Avenue. Oldest and largest hospital in the world for women and children: organized, 1861. Its motto is, “Woman’s work for woman by women.”

WOMAN’S MEDICAL COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA, Twenty-first Street and North College Avenue; first college in the world organized for the education of women for the medical profession. Incorporated, 1850. Dr. Ann Preston, of first class to be graduated, was the founder of the Women’s Hospital. Contains bas-relief tablet, “The Woman Physician”; sculptor, Miss Clara Hill.

HISTORIC MUSICAL INTERESTS OF PHILADELPHIA

ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Broad and Locust Streets. Seats 3000; established, 1857, for representation of operas in English, and distinguished entertainments; opened with a magnificent ball, such as was never before witnessed in Philadelphia; now home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which has had three conductors since its organization in 1900, Fritz Scheel, Carl Pohlig, and Leopold Stokowski; all of whom have brought the splendid body of players to a high standard of musical excellence. Dr. Stokowski has said of the Academy: “The architect must have had great knowledge of the laws governing sound, as the volumes are marvelously arranged.”

The Mahler Symphony was given here in 1916, first time in America, Stokowski, director, with chorus of 1000 voices. A memorial to Siegfried Behrens will be in wall of lobby, portrait figure in relief, with Muse of Music holding laurel wreath, Cararra marble, seven feet high, on base of dark marble; sculptor, Guiseppe Donato.

THE MAENNERCHOR SOCIETY, 1643 North Broad Street. A men’s chorus of active and associate members, founded, 1835, by Philip Mathias Wolsieffer, director for eighteen years. The Maennerchor was the first men’s chorus in America; they have sung for twenty-eight years at opening of the German-American Charity Ball, in the Academy of Music. They sang with the Vocal Union, choral parts of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in 1874, first time given in America, William W. Wolsieffer conducting. Won three prizes at National Saengerfest in Brooklyn, Baltimore, and Newark.

MUSICAL FUND HALL, Locust Street, west of Eighth Street, built, 1824. Acoustic properties unsurpassed. Jenny Lind sang here. Now used by a Labor Organization.

Philadelphia has over two hundred singing societies, and a long list of very prominent musical organizations.

THE PRESSER FOUNDATION OF PHILADELPHIA, organized 1916, is the first institution of its kind to be established in America. All of its resources have been given by Mr. Theodore Presser. It includes a Home for Retired Music Teachers, suggested by the Founder’s visit to the Verdi “Casa di Riposo per Musicisti,” in Milan in 1899. Scholarships to institutions of learning, the students to be selected by the President, and Directors of the Musical Departments, and emergency aid relief to musicians.

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND OTHER HISTORIC SCHOOLS

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, Thirty-fourth Street and Woodland Avenue, with a campus of one hundred and seventeen acres along the west bank of the Schuylkill River and equipment of seventy buildings; originated in the Charity School, organized, 1740, at Fourth and Arch Streets; made an academy through the interest of Benjamin Franklin, in 1749; chartered, “The College of Philadelphia,” with power to confer honorary and collegiate degrees, being the third oldest college in the United States; in 1799 was organized and chartered as “The University of the State of Pennsylvania,” making it the first institution in the United States designated a university; also the first to establish professional schools distinct from the college. The School of Medicine was added in 1765, and has always maintained the most advanced requirements and highest standards of scholarship for graduation; it was founded by Dr. John Morgan, who held the first medical professorship in America; he was physician in chief of the Continental Army, 1775-77. The first American University Professorship in Law was established here, 1790; James Wilson held the position; President Washington attended his lectures. In 1799, the University conferred on Washington the degree of LL.D., and later, in 1826, set apart his birthday as University Day, on which honorary degrees are conferred, with appropriate exercises. Nine sons of this University signed the Declaration of Independence; seven, the Constitution of the United States; twenty-one were members of the Continental Congress; nine, in the United States Senate; eight were Attorney-Generals of states or of the United States; six were Justices of the Supreme Court; seven, Governors of states; and many others were Officers in the Army and men in public life, who had received their education in the old building, Fourth and Arch Streets, before 1800.

In 1802 the University was moved to Ninth and Chestnut Streets, and occupied the presidential mansion, now site of the Post Office; in 1872, moved to the present site in West Philadelphia. In 1912, under the administration of Provost Edgar Fahs Smith, The University Extension Courses were formed, and the college made into three departments with a dean for each. The COLLEGE, founded 1740, includes School of Arts; Summer School; College Courses for Teachers; Courses in Biology and Music. THE TOWNE SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL, founded, 1875, includes, Architecture, Chemistry, Science, Technology, Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering. WHARTON SCHOOL OF FINANCE AND COMMERCE, founded 1881, includes, School of Accounts and Finance in Philadelphia; and the Extension Schools of Finance and Accounts in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC, through the unceasing and wise direction of Dr. Hugh A. Clarke, has graduated hundreds of students in music, after a four years’ course in Harmony, Counterpoint, Composition, and Orchestration. The degree of Bachelor of Music has been conferred on many who qualified to meet the requirements. THE GRADUATE SCHOOL was founded, 1882; courses lead to degrees of master of arts, and doctor of philosophy.

Other Departments are, the LAW SCHOOL, Thirty-fourth and Chestnut Streets; building dedicated University Day, 1900, architects, Cope & Stewardson, style similar to the English Renaissance as developed by Sir Christopher Wren; Indiana limestone and dull red brick; contains the Biddle Law Library, 55,000 volumes; The Black Memorial Collection of English Legal Engravings, most complete in America; several original documents by Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and other colonial men; many objects of historical interest to members of the bar; a fine collection of portraits include those of Algernon Sydney Biddle, by Cecilia Beaux; Charles Chauncey, by Henry Inman; Thomas McKean, LL.D., by Robert W. Vonnoh; Richard Coxe McMurtrie, LL.D., by William M. Chase; James Wilson, LL.D., by Albert Rosenthal, from a miniature; marble busts of Daniel Webster and Jeremiah Sullivan; tablets and memorials.

LABORATORY OF CHEMISTRY, Thirty-fourth and Spruce Streets; dedicated, 1894; shows the broad projecting eaves of brick architecture in the Italian Renaissance; architects, Cope & Stewardson; it is one of the best equipped chemical laboratories in America. The ENGINEERING building, Thirty-third and Locust Streets; dedicated, 1906; Georgian, dark brick with limestone trimmings, architects, Cope & Stewardson; houses the civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering departments; best equipped of its kind. In its collection of portraits is that of John Henry Towne, by William M. Hunt.

LABORATORY OF HYGIENE, includes the Psychological Clinic; Department of physical education; and Franklin Field, Thirty-third and Spruce Streets, dedicated, 1895, seating capacity of the stadium about 62,000, was for many years scene of annual football between the United States Military and Naval Academies; gymnasium, facing Thirty-third Street, erected, 1903, English Collegiate, Gothic, dark red brick, with black headers laid in Flemish bond, terra cotta and Indiana limestone trimmings, floors and columns concrete; comprises Weightman Hall, exercising rooms, and a large swimming pool; architects, Frank Miles Day & Brother; in front on the terrace is statue of Benjamin Franklin at seventeen, as he first entered Philadelphia in 1732; sculptor, Dr. R. Tait McKenzie, pedestal designed by Professor Paul P. Cret. In the entrance is bronze tablet in relief, full figure portrait of Charles S. Bayne in baseball uniform, “1895 College,” sculptor, R. Tait McKenzie; also other memorials.

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHÆOLOGY, founded, 1889, by the late Provost William Pepper, M.D., LL.D., museum, Spruce Street, near Thirty-fourth Street, open free daily, 10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M.; Sunday 2.00 to 6.00 P.M. The treatment of this building and the courtyard, begun 1897, is among the most successful works of architecture in this country; it was inspired by the round, arched, brick architecture of Northern Italy, about twelfth century; details especially suggesting the old Church of San Stefano in Bologna; roof of Spanish tiles gives added charm; architects in coöperation, Wilson Eyre, Jr., Cope & Stewardson, Frank Miles Day & Brother. Has valuable collections illustrating the history of mankind; Egyptian, Cretan, Etruscan, and Babylonian antiquities, famous tablets from Nippur, and the Dillwyn-Parish collection of Græco-Roman papyri, among which are the oldest known fragments of the Gospel of St. Matthew. During 1916, the museum maintained four expeditions in the field: in Egypt, China, Siberia, and one on the Amazon, which will return with collections they have gathered. Among the portraits in the museum are, Mrs. William D. Frismuth, donor of collection of musical instruments, and Franklin Hamilton Cushing, ethnologist, both by Thomas Eakins; bronze statue of Dr. William Pepper, by Carl Bitter, is in the Italian garden; free public illustrated lectures are given Saturdays, 3.30 P.M., from November to March.

LIBRARY, founded, 1749, with volumes bearing accession dates of 1749, given by Benjamin Franklin; First Provost, William Smith; Louis XVI of France; and others, now contains about 450,000 volumes, and many special collections; present building dedicated, 1891, Thirty-fourth and Locust Streets, red brick, sandstone, and terra cotta, Furness, Evans & Company, architects; among the portraits here are Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., replica, by Thomas Gainsborough, R.A., of his original; William Wordsworth, poet, from life, by Henry Inman in 1844; Joseph G. Rosengarten, LL.D., by B. A. Osnis, and the entire class of 1811 minus one, in silhouette, cut at Peale’s Museum; here also is the famous orrery and large clock made by David Rittenhouse for this university.

HOUSTON HALL, memorial to Henry Howard Houston, Jr., class of ’78, Spruce Street above Thirty-fourth. North Conshohocken and Indiana limestone; architect’s design of two students of the School of Architecture, developed by Frank Miles Day; was planned by Provost C. C. Harrison, to weld the cosmopolitan body of students into one democratic brotherhood, which has now become a world-wide movement in college life; contains trophy rooms, pool tables, and publication office of “Old Penn,” until 1918 the official weekly; courses of Free Public Lectures are given by members of the Faculty, and men from other American and foreign Universities; services by eminent ministers are conducted each Sunday morning. Among the many portraits in Houston Hall are, Henry Howard Houston, Jr., by Cecilia Beaux; David Rittenhouse, by Charles Willson Peale; Henry Reed, and Henry Vethake, both by Sully.

THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, Thirty-fourth and Spruce Streets; founded by the late Provost Dr. William Pepper, 1874, covers two city blocks; medical staff consists of more than one hundred and fifty physicians and one hundred nurses; the Surgical Building erected, 1914; Jacobean style, brick and limestone, architects, Brockie & Hastings, contains marble bust on pedestal of Dr. William Pepper, Provost, 1881-94; bronze mural tablet with portrait of late Dr. John H. Musser, sculptor, Dr. R. Tait McKenzie; and many bronze memorials. The MEDICAL LABORATORY, dedicated, 1904, on Hamilton Walk, English Collegiate, of Middle seventeenth century, hard burnt brick and buff Indiana limestone; architects, Cope & Stewardson; interior finished in white Italian marble; is one of the largest and best equipped in America. Contains nearly complete collection of oil portraits of staff of physicians from 1765, including painting of David Hayes Agnew, M.D., LL.D., at the close of a clinic in Medical Hall, all the subordinate figures in the group are likenesses, among them, Dr. J. William White, Dr. Joseph Leidy, Jr., and the artist, Thomas Eakins; Professor John Morgan, founder of the Medical School, after the original by Angelica Kauffman; Professor William Osler, LL.D., and De Forest Willard, by W. M. Chase; Professor Philip Syng Physick, first American to be elected member of Royal Academy, France, by Henry Inman, from life in 1836; Professor Benjamin Rush, by John Neagle; Dr. J. William White, by John S. Sargent; and bronze bust on pedestal of Dr. Joseph Leidy.