CONANT DISCUSSES PROPOSED CHAPEL

"I think that a more delicate, graceful design for the proposed Memorial Chapel," said Professor K. J. Conant '15, of the School of Architecture, in an interview given to the CRIMSON yesterday, "would remove much of the hostility to the scheme which seems to exist. The present plan is perhaps a little too solid and heavy. Personally, I would be, glad to see a chapel erected somewhere along the lines of Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

"Such a design would have a spire set in the middle of the front, that is on the long side of the building, facing toward Widener Library. An apse would be placed at the corresponding point on the other side of the building."

"The Yard," continued Professor Conant, "was originally planned as a series of quadrangles with open sides towards North Avenue, now Massachusetts Avenue. After this a larger quadrangle was planned with Holworthy at one end, Stoughton and Hollis on one side and University Hall at the other.

"When Appleton was built, it was naturally expected that two buildings to correspond to Hollis and Stoughton would be constructed where Thayer now is, leaving a vista from the front of the chapel between them and through to Holden Chapel. When Thayer was built, however, it not only spoiled the vista, but was set so far back that it overwhelmed Appleton Chapel."

When asked about Sever Hall, Professor Conant replied that it was designed by a very prominent architect of the Romanesque revival, and despite its much maligned architecture, it was one of the few buildings starred in the American Baedeker. The Boylston Chemical Laboratory, added Professor Conant, used to be a very handsome building before the disfiguring third story was added.

"During the seventies it was expected that the University would expand towards the north," said Professor Conant, "and that is why Memorial Hall was placed where it is. In fact, an offer of all the land between Massachusetts Avenue and the river was refused."