THIS beautiful building, in the Tudor style of architecture, is located on a lot bounded on the north by Franklin street, on the south by Woodward street, between Broadway and Sycamore streets. It is constructed of brick, with solid buttresses running the height of the building and terminating with ornamental pinacles. The windows are of rich tracery, but sufficiently massive to give an idea of strength,—and quite unlike the cobweb effect usually produced by cast iron imitations of stone. The external decorations are very rich, and possess those bold and artistic outlines so peculiar to the style. The roof is of singular but pleasing construction, steep and lofty, covered entirely with cut slates, which give a rich appearance, and fringed with ornamental ridge work. In conception, and execution, it is unquestionably the most correct architectural specimen of this class of collegiate buildings which has yet been produced in our Western States.

The basement, which is lofty and well-lighted, comprises philosophical and apparatus rooms, large and well-regulated chambers for the heating apparatus, fuel, &c.; and the approach to it is by a continuance of the grand staircases, rendering this portion of the building as accessible and well-ventilated and lighted as any other.

The ground floor has entrances on each of the four sides, leading to spacious corridors, which cross at right angles in the centre of the building, the intersection being arranged in the form of an octagon, with arches on each side, producing an imposing effect. On this floor are four large class rooms, each 36 feet by 28 feet, well arranged with reference to the position of teacher, and the doors so located that the scholars face any one who enters. Contiguous to each class room is a commodious cloak room, accessible both to the corridors and class rooms. One of the most noticeable and admirably disposed features of the building is the staircases. There are two of these, forming a flank to each side of the building. They extend from the basement to the lecture hall, on third floor, and terminate in two beautiful towers, which add materially to the external effect of the building. These staircases are wide, of very easy ascent, and, in their form of construction, with the arching overhead, present a really noble appearance. But this is their least merit; located as they are, they afford an entrance on each side to the grand lecture hall, and, although contiguous to the latter, do not mar its beauty or comfort by breaking up any portion of its space. Another invaluable result from this treatment, is security in case of fire. Two large staircases so situated, widely apart from each other, and, bough attached to, practically isolated from the main body of the

building, present the best safeguard, and render impossible the terrible calamities which have more than once resulted in our schools from the neglect of this precaution.

The second floor is identical in its arrangement with the first.

The third floor is exclusively devoted to the lecture hall, the staircases which flank and give access to it, and two ante-rooms, one on each side, accessible both from stairs and lecture hall. This lecture hall is, without exception, the grandest room of the kind which has yet been seen in this part of the world. Its entire dimensions are 83 feet by 68 feet, irrespective of the galleries, which are ingeniously arranged over the ante-rooms, and in the space gained between the ceiling of the ante-rooms and that of the lecture hall, the height of the latter being 25 feet. The effect of these arched galleries at the end of the room is very fine. At one end of the room is a raised platform, occupying in length the entire width of the room, and in the centre of this end of the hall is a wide and lofty arched recess. The appearance of the hall, with its windows of rich Gothic tracery, the arched galleries, the ceiling formed of oak leaves crossing each other with handsome rosettes at their intersection, and deep-sunk panels of a dark blue color, the

rich wainscotting of the walls, and handsomely devised doorways, present altogether an appearance of unusual beauty. The artistic peculiarities of the Tudor style of Gothic have been faithfully carried into the minutest features of this structure, both internally and externally; and the total absence of any admixture of other styles produces that charming effect of harmony and unity which is the prevailing characteristic of this building.

The enclosure of the area, on the Franklin street or main front, is formed of a rich iron railing, of Gothic design, resting upon a bold plinth of Dayton stone. The piers which flank the enclosure at each end, and the central gate piers, are also of Dayton stone, of beautiful design, and richly carved and ornamented.

The cost of the building was very near $44,000, including four furnaces for warming, gas fixtures, &c.

The entire cost of the structure, including fence, walls, railing, grading, &c., was $53,000. It was designed and superintended by J. R. HAMILTON, architect, and erected by DANIEL LAVERY, contractor, under the foremanship of JOHN TAYLOR,—all of Cincinnati.

ANTE ROOM