The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-03-23
THE NEW ODD FELLOWs' HALL

build an opera house and block, on the
site of the old Stark house and NOyes
block. committee of Stark Lodge of
Odd Fellows secured the refusal of the
third story of said block After the
plans arrived, the territory secured by
the Odd Fellows covered al that part OF
the third story, west of the east side of
the entrance, a frontage of some Y feet
and depth at the shortest line OF ~
feet, enarging several feet as the rooms
approach the east line. This space,
comprising nearly 5000 square feet, has
been divided into commodious apart
ments, and will be formally dedicated to
the purposes of Odd Fellowship on the
Diamond Anniversary of the Order,
April goth, prox. Inc rooms
are fRi she'd with elegance. The
Lodge room is 3Ox42 feet and is
lighted with five large windows on its
north side. Large folding doors separ-
ate this from the assembly hall, that is
practically 45x45 feet, and is intended
for the social and literary purposes of
the Order. as well as drill room for the
Canton. Three large double windows
light this hall.on its south side facing
Main street Two large ventilators in
the ceiling guarantee fresh air, however
crowded with people the rooms may be.
On the west is a suit of rooms 13X50, the
front portion of which, lighted by
large muliOn front window, uniform
with the other four, will be used as
ladies' parlor while the rear room is the
wardrobe and ante-room of the Re-
bekah's, the members of Miriam Lodge,
D. of r. On the east of the assembly
room are the club or social rooms of
Stark Lodge, IS feet wide and running
back to the entrance at the head OF the
stairs-twO rooms, with window front,
separated by an arcbed partition as IN the
ladies' apartments, aforesaid. The visl-
tor enters spacious hallway, and right
in front of him are the doors to the as
sembly hall, to the left are the mems
club rooms, to the right are the doors of
the lodge ante-rOOms, which may also be
used for dining hall, the space being
some 15x30. To the north OF this is the
kitchen. Two convenient laboratories
are located in a retired corner, opening
'front.' main entrance. Entered from
the kitchen, which, by the way, is one of
the pleasantest of the suite, is a dark
room, in which will be stored for the
benefit of the goat, an intention, Varl-
ously attributed to several brethren, but
which we will call publicly "threshing
machine" 1t is a harmless affair, but
not easy to hide N the old hall,-hence
its use (taken apart, has been the subject
of much speculation. Any good citizen
is invited to join the Order in all its
branches of Lodge, Encampment, d. of
R., and Canton, and thus solve the prob
lem for himself. All the walls are
adamant plaster, white, hard finish, ex-
cept the Lodge room, which is tinted,
and when seasoned will be further dec
GRATED. The ladies' and gentlemen's
parlors are finshedwith white wood, all
the others and the floors are of Southern
hard pine. The whole territory is heated
with steam and GIFTED by electricity,
the elegant chandeliers being supple
mented by cluster side lights. The No
BILE Grands station will be at the west
end of the lodge room, the Vice Grand's
being opposite, both surmounted with
handsome canopies. lined in their roofs
and at the back with old gold tapestry
plated. The curtains will be of red rep
to match the furniture. The furniture
of the present hall, chairs, seats, ETC., will
be utilized, as far as these will 60, in the
furnishing of the new one. Most of our
local readers know that the officers
chairs and the settees, of solid black
walnut, veneered in panels with mahog
any, were purchased few years ago, and
none better can be procured now. Rugs
will be used instead of carpets, save only
in the parlors. and the other furnishings
will match the above. In the ante
rooms are lockers-row of double deck
ers-for the Canton uniforms, and ward
robes for both Lodge and Encampment
robes. These all have white wood
doors, panelled with hard pine and fin
ished natural. The committee on the
dedication have not as yet perfected all
the plans for the exercises the Goth, but
enough is known to say that it will be a
memorable event in the history of the
Order in this town and State. The quar-
tsrs, themselves, lead anything yet at
tempted by the Lodges of Vermont, and
not only will the Grand Officers and
prominent Odd Fellows of the State be
invited but as many of Our people as can
be accommodated, will be asked to re-
joice with us over the happy consumma-
ton of what has been bright anticipa-
ton 10 the Order in Bennington for the
past two years. The dedication de-
serves more notice than we are able to
spare space this week. We use the Ian
guage of Past Grand Sire Carey, now de-
ceased, who wrote it up alegorically as
follows:
1.-THE Temple of Odd Fellowship rises
before us in the notices and emblems of
the Order. It's foundation broad as hu.
mainly, of huge masses of gray granite,
reaches to its centre, on which rise, in
distinctive colors, its massy walls. First
white, represented by Parian marble
next blue, by Cerulean Sapphire; and
completed to the summit in scarlet by
drawing around it the curtains of the
Couch of AurOra-the first expressive OF
purity, the second Of faithfulness, and
the third of the imperial virtues repre-.
scented by the girdle of the Ephod and of
the breastplate of judgment; all blended
into one living block of Grand Mosaic by
the golden cement of a deathess cove
nant. Its done, a glittering diamond
rests upon three precious pillars-FAITH,
Hope and CHARITY-flaming with the
presence of the All-Seeing- Eye. Over
its massive portals bleeding heart and
open hand are linked by chains of ada
mant. Answering to the four quarters
of the earth, its form is quadrangular; in
one angle appears the HALL OF INDUS.
TRY, whose hives, without drone, hum
the sweet music of contented labor; in
another, the HALL OF WISDOM lifts its
lofty cornice in the gigantic coil of the
emblematic serpent; another exhibits
the HOME OF HOSPITALITY, with an
open tent and smoking tables; and yet
fba 9 A AJfrrrrADv TTrcrTCu