Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-25
EDGEFIRLD.
The New schoolhouse Christened.
A Grand Affair.

Something About the New Bufiding.
The opening of the new school building
in Edgefeld, and the grand festival an
nounced for last evening, has been the topic
of conversation for a week or more past,
and the immense crowd in attendance
showed conclusively that the affair had
been most successfully worked up. But
before referring to Edgefeld's grand festival,
we will now introduce our readers to
THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING,
which has been completed according to
contract, and now stands as monument
to the enterprise and lberality of the good
people of our neighboring city. The main
building is fifty-four by ninety-six feet
from out to out, with protective vestibule
on the front and rear, each thirty by twelve
feet, in which the main stairs are erected.
The first floor is divided with passage
from vestioule to vestibule, ten feet wide,
on each side of which are two school rooms,
forty-one by twenty-five feet each, and an
Office in each vestibule eleven by twelve
feet. The second floor contains one school
room fifty-two by sixty-fve feet, and four
recitation rooms, fourteen by twenty-five
feet. The third floor is yet one grand room,
ninety-four by fifty-two feet.
THE SCORE OF ECONOMY.
The building was commenced with the
intention Of being only two stories high,
but the friends of popular education and
progress prevailed with the Board of Alder
men to put on another story. This addition,
it was argued, would not only beautify the
building, but would be a matter of econo-
my, inasmuch as more room would be re-
quired in year or so at most. The Board
Of Aldermen adopted the suggestion, and
the action of the Board was sustained by
the people, who voted that additional
bonds should be issued to complete the
building according to the plan Of addition
proposed. The chairman Of the Building
Committee met with opposition on the plea
that the walls were too thin to support the
additional weight. This he met by saying
that he would stake his reputation on it and
stand or fall with il. Had it not been for
the financial panic last fall, the building
would have been completed by the first of
January last.
THE BUILDING COMMITTEE.
The project has been carried out by ii.
C.. Thompson, j. p. Barthell and ID. G.
Coleman as the building committee, and
John Lewis, architect. The old commit
tee was continued by the new board, and at
their request, o. S. Lesseur and w. &.
Hudnall were added from the new board.
THE CONTRACTORS.
The contract for the entire building was
let to Patton & McInturf, who sub-let the
stone work to Ben East; the brick work to
Hutchinson & Price; the plastering to n. B.
Britt, the tin, iron and slate to Phillips,
Buttorff & Co., and the paint and glass to
Barthell q Joseph; the fencing, outhouses
and steps to Hopkins & Patterson, and
the cisten to Vim. jenkins.
THE ROOF AND TOWER.
The entire building is rooted with slate,
and the north or front vestibule is sur
mounted with a beautiful clock tower,
which makes quite an imposing appear
ance.
ENTIRE COST.
The building has been erected at a cost
of fourteen thousand five hundred and
sixty-nine dollars. The furnaces, school
desks, fences, outhouses, eistern and the
ground on which the building stands cost
thirty-six hundred dollars more, making in
all eighteen thousand one hundred and
sixty-nine dollars.
ONE THOUSAND SCHOLARS
The building will accommodate from
| nine hundred to one thousand scholars, and
we are amply sustained in saying that there
is not another house anywhere in this sec
ton where so many can be accommodated
at such a small outlay.
THE FESTIVAL LAST NIGHT.
The festival last night at the new school
building was the most brilliant affair that
was ever witnessed in Edgefeld. The.
crowd in attendance was estimated at
between one thousand and fifteen
hundred persons. The building was
brilliantly Illuminated from cellar
to dome. The supper tables on the first
floor were bountifully spread and tastefully
arranged, and all honor to the ladies for
their untiring energy in preparing feast
| worthy of the occasion. There were two
supper rooms, each being well filed dur
| ing the entire evening.
| The promenade room in the second story
was crowded all night, while the dancing
room in the third story was completely
packed, it being estimated that there were
as many as three hundred dancers on the
floor at one time.
Much interest was manifested in the diff
ferent articles contributed and voted for.
| When our reporter left, it was not known
| who had been voted the s.Belle of Edge
field" or who had received the fan,
the table cloth, the Masonic pin and
other articles. The fine diamond ring
valued at SIS was won by Mrs. Mann,
daughter Of Ii. G. SheetZ, and little Emma
Price, daughter of b. NJ. Price, got the
miniature Charter Oak cooking stove.
At this time of writing, it is impossible
to arrive at the amount realized, but it is
supposed that a sufficient sum was raised
/ To Durchase the clock and bell.