Editing Thomas Ustick Walter (section)

== Girard College ==

Girard College, designed in 1833 and completed in 1847, represents Walter's masterpiece and one of America's finest Greek Revival buildings. Stephen Girard's enormous bequest for the education of "poor white male orphans" included requirements for buildings of the finest materials and workmanship, and Walter's design delivered grandeur exceeding anything previously attempted in America. Founder's Hall, the main building, presents a Corinthian temple of monumental scale, its marble columns among the largest in the country. The building's proportions, based on careful study of Greek precedents, achieve classical dignity appropriate to Girard's philanthropic vision.<ref name="tatum"/>

The project's complexity and expense required unprecedented effort. Walter supervised quarrying and carving of marble columns, each requiring years to complete. Construction challenges tested available technology and pushed craftsmen to new levels of achievement. The extended construction period—nearly fifteen years—allowed perfection of details that might have been compromised under time pressure. The result justified the effort: Girard College's Founder's Hall became a touchstone for American Greek Revival, demonstrating that American architects and builders could equal ancient achievements.<ref name="gilchrist"/>