A new chapel and library

With the turn of the 20th century, changes came to the seminary campus. The Schaeffer-Ashmead Chapel, still in use today, was constructed in 1903, thanks to generous donations. Five years later, the Krauth Memorial Library opened, made possible in large measure due to the financial support of Pittsburgh tobacconist Frank Wayman. Wayman felt strongly that the seminary needed a storehouse for its growing theological collection, which had previously been housed on the third floor of the Gowen Mansion (later to become the Hagan Administration Building). The library was considered a “wonder” of its time because of its marvelous glass floor, which admitted natural daylight from the upper level to pass through into the lower stacks. (The library also had gaslights for illumination.) The building also featured state-of-the-art fireproof construction. As faculty members gained respect, they were approached by the wider church for writing and advice. William Julius Mann penned a statement about predestination, an issue which was stirring controversy among churches in the Midwest around 1910. Karl Krueger and others share insights from this period. Watch.