Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1893-08-03

DEL, THURSDAY, AU
building and is enclosed by a granite
wall that surrounds the square lying
between Shallcross and Gilpin avenues,
Bayard and Grant avenues. or an area
Of about lO0 900 square feet This wall
has heav pilasters at every forty fee. of its
length. The building is l. shaped, 1853
feet long by 116 feet on the front IL
will front on sayard avenue with the
long portion of the L lying along Gilpin
avenue. The residence portion Of the
convent lies on the south with the
chapel along the west front
The architecture, of the Roman style,
is massive and ornate. The walls are Of
rock faced Brandywine granite, with cut
stone trimmings Of Indiana limestone
The chapel walls are ornamented with
handsome architrave os moulded and
rock faced limestone extending entirely
around that portion of the structure.
The whole building is covered by a red
tile roof, which makes very beauti
full contrast with the dark and
light shades Of the granite walls. The
resid nee portion Of the convent IS
three stories high, and the chapel walls
are carried up TO the same height. The
appearance Of the building. however,
owing to its length and the great stretch
Of high granite wall surrounding IL,
appears 10 be low and very broad. This
peculiarity gives it an unusually solid
and somewhat sombre appearance when
seen from the outside
Another popularity of this building is
a reversion of the usual order of church
architecture The front Of the building
shows no sign of spire or tower, but on
/ the eastern wall of the chapel and
rising above the chapel Of the
sisters is pretty tower of Indiana lime
stone in which swings the convent bell
IL is very pretty and suggestive feature
of the architecture, ] ing as IL does
against the bright color of the roof tiles
Under this tower and against the east
wall of the chapel is a broad porch into
which several doors open from a corridor
extending around the chapel from the
residence portion OF the convent.
Interior of the Chapel.
The chapel in which the formal dedi-
catory ceremonies we're conducted this
morning, consists of four divisions and
| is a beautiful group Of adjoining apart
ments. IL occupies that portion Of the
building lying north of the entrance
The first divisiO1 Of the chapel lies next
to the entrance corridor and is that part
of the chapel to which the public will be
admitted; the next Is the sanctuary; to
the east Of the sanctuary is he sisters
choir and to the north Of the sanctuary
is the sscristy, in which there are thI ee
rooms.
Turning to the right at the portress's
stall at the end of the entrance corrid T
the visitor will find stairway leading
TO a choir loft which overlooks the pub
lie chaprl and the sanctuary. From this
place a pretty view Of tn chapel is seen
The division between the public chapel
and the sanctuary is marked only by the
character Of the floor The line OF the
sanctuary is marked by the edge Of a
eautiful oaken floor of a mosaic pattern
and highl, pol shed The walls rising
from this hoor begin in red brick. Two
I feet above the floor, the line being
marked by heavy oaken moulding, the
walls become buff glazed brick The
timbers of the roof are open, are massive
stained in natural color and show beau
tiful carvings at the base of each Of the
beams
The main altar Of the sanctuary is OF
white marble; the side altars are OF
oak and all Of them are highly flushed.
Opposite the altars and extending east
ward is the choir Of the sisters This
Is beautiful apartment.
I Against its eastern wall, constructed
Of massive oak, are the stalls Of the
mother superior aud four others, two
on each side Of It. Along each side
? Of the room are the stalls Of the sisters.
! They, too, are of oak and Of beautiful
design The sanctuary and the sisters
choir are separated by an arch sup
$ ported by four great columns OF wood
d an between them is the grating which
? separates the sisters from the world
J The sacristies, elegant little apartments
s lie to the left, OF north Of the altar.
The building is heated by three hof
water heaters, situated in the cellar
This part Of the building extends undel
7 all the building. 1t is full of arches fol
4 supporting The massive building above
it. It's floor is of cement and all III
walls whitewsshed, and its various bin
and angles are filed with coal and WOO
for use during the coming winter
The Donations and Cost.
The building was erected tn none.
!. donated by the Abel family. Of Blti
n more and Miss Abel, Sister Mary Josepl
8 in religion, who is a member of tn
order and an inmate of the now, Monas
try of the Visitation The new conven
has cost about $l25 900 Miss Abell'
3 donations amounted to 100000. Wit
y the residue of various gifts serves th
n community as an endowment, and hi
;. enabled them to discontinue teaching 1
; they did in the Academy Of Visitation.
The number of sisters in the orde
. that have entered the monastry
thirty FIVE Four attend TO the busine
that requires outdoor work seven othe
90 do the domestic w4rk of the family, al
the remsining twenty-four sisters a
lo known as choir sisters.