The Portland daily press., 1892-05-07

THE oAKDALE HALL.
A Description of the Building which Has
Been Worked for Long and Perse-
veringly.

A good many people have wendell
tend the fair and entertainments there
given by the Oaldale Sunday School Cir.
| Gle in aid of that not quite finished build
ing, and although plain and unadorned
on the outside, the hall was found to be
| well planned and attractive within. The
building fronts on Pitt street, setting
about 10 feet back, and as one enters
through the double doors he finds him
self in the front hall, which is about 20
feet by II feet. On the rights the wind
ing hard wood stairway leading to the
unfinished main hall above, with a win
dow half way up and a coal bin beneath.
In front is another set of double doors
entering into the dining hall, 81 feet
square and II feet high. The finish
ing here, as in every other part of the
hall, is white wood in it's natural color,
and the walls are white and clean with
the finished surface of the plaster. The
room is heated by large hall stove and
is lighted in the day time by the two six
and half by two and half windows on
each side, and in the evening by four
large Rochester lamps hung from the
ceiling. One hundred chairs and seven
dining tables make up the furniture of
this room. The dishes and tableware
are kept in the closet on the left, beside
of which is the kitchen door opening
back in the direction from which one has
entered the hall. This kitchen is a cosy
little place about u by IS feet, having
one window and door opening out of
doors on the side of the building at the
left of the main entrance. Here are the
sink, stove, chimney and slide opening
into the dining hall, and here also ends
our survey of the completed rooms.
Let us ascend the stairs that we found
in the hallway and imagine this floor
completed. Here is the ticket Office. at
the head of the stairs and the cloak room
at the left of that. Opposite the en-
trance is the stage, which extends the
entire width of the hall. The floor is
hard wood and the room is furnished
with chairs to seat about 800. 1t is lighted
and heated as below, but with windows
somewhat larger, as this room is several
feet higher than the dining room. This
and it will probably re-echo oftentimes
to the ears of the Oakdalians assembled.
And this is the hall which the Oakda-
lians have striven SO long to obtain, and
which now stands as monument to
their industry and perseverance.
About the first of January, 1889 Sun
day school was first thought of in Oak
dale, and on the sixth of that month the
children were first called together and
met every Sunday after that until 1891 in
a private house. The ladies in the mean
time were drawn together in the interest
Of the children and the Oakdale Sunday
School Association was formed. Money
was donated by individuals and accumu-
lated by the circle, SO that in the fall of
1891. with the aid of small loan from I.
P. harrington, work on a Sunday school
hall was begun on a lot given to the cir
Gle by the Deering Land Company.
The first plans as furnished by Mr..
Stevens were for very pretty, but quite
expensive hall, and so it was thought
best in order to incur as little debt as
possible to substitute, which, though
plain, would answer all requirements.
And so with Mr.. N. E. Redlon as ma
son, and Mr.. Ell. K. johnson as carpen-
ter, the hall as it at present stands began
to grow. And as it grew, donations
came in from all sides, stoves, coal, win
dow shades, about 800 pieces of crock
cry, etc., SO that the expense so far has
been only about $1,000, and it will take
about $500 more to finish the hall. The
Sunday school, which holds it's first
meeting in the hall on the first Sunday
in May, numbers at present about 80
members, and is under the guidance of
the ladies, who are making arrangements
to have different Portland clergymen
come out once a month and preach in the
hall.
An Important Case.
Sortarohor 9Th 1901 +bo .oLoo,o, A.