In June of 1903, the Physical and Chemical Laboratory was completed, except for the heating system. Professor William C. Bartol, played a role in the finishing of the building. The interior plans for facilities for organic science were completed by Professor George G. Groff, and specifications for the chemistry laboratory were determined by Professor William G. Owens. On April 23, 1906, the brownstone bridge over the stream was presented by the Class of 1906. Next to this building was one of the three formal entrances to the College. It was marked by two pillars, a gift of the Class of 1908, which were located at the intersection of Loomis and South Sixth Streets ( not visible in this photograph ).

The Chemical Laboratory

From 1903 to 1915, this building became more devoted to chemistry. In 1908, the basement of the laboratory was "fitted up" to give added chemistry facilities, and in 1908 Bucknell gave "five years in Chemistry, a greater amount than most of the Colleges." The University awarded the first Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree in 1913, so future engineers were taking several courses in this building in 1915. In that year, the first floor contained a big lecture room and a large room for individual work in Chemical Analysis; the second floor contained a lecture room and rooms for laboratory work in Organic Analysis; and rooms for Applied Chemistry were in the basement. The attic contained a room for dissection in Human Anatomy.

In 1915, President Harris recommended that "....the third story of the main building Academy be fitted up for Biology so that the laboratory building can be given wholly to Chemistry." In 1915, 142 students were enrolled in first year chemistry. Professor Owens and his two student assistants taught them in "three divisions."

"five years in Chemistry..." BT '82-'20, p. 232 (1/10/1908)

"...the third story of..." ib., p.303 (1/14/1915)

"three divisions..." ib., p. 304.

The major source for the information on this page is the Minutes of the Board of Trustees of Bucknell University, 1882-1920 (BT '82-'20). Additional sources are Oliphant, Rise of Bucknell; Theiss, Centennial History; and the Bucknell University Bulletin (Fourteenth Series, January 1915, No. 4) Catalogue 1914-1915 (CAT '14-'15) and the Bucknell Uinversity Bulletin (Fifteenth Series, January1916, No. 4) Catalog 1915-1916 (CAT '15-'16).