High road buildings perhaps are easiest to compare cross culturally, but it’s probably a good idea not to overlook low road or informal educational settings.

Here in Pittsburgh is a very interesting quad of educational buildings. First is the “Catherdral of Learning” a 45 story Gothic skyscraper, the defining building on the University of Pitsburgh’s campus. In the city block it take up is also a Gothic Chapel, the Heinz Chapel, narrow two-story tall stained glass windows depicting the lives of people who have made a difference in the world. Across the street is The Mellon Insitute, a Parthenon inspired building built by the Mellon brothers with monolithic columns!

Across the street from them is The Carneigie Insitute which houses The Museum of Art, Natural History, Library, Lecture and Music Halls. Outside the building has numerous sculptures of the leading lights of Western philosophy, arts and sciences. Inside murals on the walls surrounding the grand staircase tell a story. On the first level are the smokestacks of industry and industrial worker, many of course immigrants to America. On the second level there are kids with white shirts on with their eyes looking upward. There is also a knighted figure, undoubtably Andrew Carnegie himself ascending to heaven. The artist died before the mural was completed, so the third floor mural is unfinished.

A common site seeing tour for out of town guest is to take a walk up the staircase. And then we walk across by the Mellon Institute, passed the Heinz Chapel and into the Cathedral of Learning. There are some two dozen “Nationality Rooms.” Various ethnic groups raised money to outfit rooms depicting their heritage. All of the rooms (except one) are used for regular classes. Most of these were done in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.

The mural in the museum and the classrooms show how much faith the hardworking, and poor, Pittsburghers showed for education. The high road these buildings take speaks volumes, even today. Neither the Mellon Insitute building nor the Cathedral of Learning are particularly practical buildings–updating the mechanical systems has been a nightmare–nevertheless it’s hard to conceive of Pitt or CMU without them. These buildings are intended as permanent reminders of Western acheivement.