Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-11
EcKINGToN CHURCH
Presbyterian Sunday School Building Ready
for Opening
Handsome Structure Both Outside and
Inside-Gothic Style and Con-
venient Arrangement.

The board of managers of the local Pres
! byterian Alliance at their last meeting
settled the preliminaries regarding the
formal opening of the new lexington Pres
| byterian Sunday school building, as it Is
| called, though really church IL size and
| appearance. 1t has been decided to not
call regular pastor for some time as yet,
| but If the attendance increases at such q
rate as to render the installation of min
| lister necessary will be called in the
early spring. The board of the alliance
has decided to hold the opening exercises
November TO- the anniversary of the organ
ization of the Sunday school. The COM
| mittee, headed by Mr.. John w. Foster,
who has been chosen president, will pre-
pare the program for the occasion and
which will include addresses by a number
of the local Presbyterian divines. Sunday.
however, the Sabbath school sxill take
possession of its new quarters without
waiting for the opening exercises. At the
date mentioned the nucleus of northeast
Presbyterianism will also be celebrating its
fifth anniversary, as on that date five years
ago twelve persons assembled In the home
of Mrs. Scion Kemon on New York avenue
and debated about the advisability of form
ing mission, the result in this discussion
being that Mr.. Irwin c. Linton of the local
bar formed Sunday school, with himself
as superintendent. During nearly all of
the five years the sessions of the Sunday
school have been held in what was once
an old blacksmith shop at the intersection
of N street and New York avenue, but
which since then has been considerably
repaired, frame addition having been built
for the growing primary department and
brick wing for the adult Bible class. The
school now numbers two hundred and
fifty scholars and twelve teachers. In ad-
dition to the regular organization OF
Sabbath school Mr. Linton has succeeded in
forming a Christian Endeavor Society, the
officers of which were installed last Au-
gust; temperance society, with large
membership from all over lexington ard
vicinity, and, in fact, all those accessories
in the shape of societies which every we'll
organized church possesses. 1t is not
often that single individual is responsible
for the foundation of what will ultimately
be a church, but in this case X Is to Mr..
Linton more than any one else to whom
the existence of the present building is
due, he having given large portion OF
all of his time to the work
Gothic Style.
The alliance, in selecting the ground on
which to erect the building recognized the
fact that lexington is fast-growing por-
ton of the city, and so they purchased lots
enough to allow of future expansion, pay
ing ten thousand dollars for a number of
lots at the intersection of North Capitol
and Q streets and Florida avenue. The
church faces on Q street, but is located
In the southeastern portion Of the ground.
The design is somewhat irregular, resem-
bling in the ground plan an l. with an octa-
gon at the corner more than anything else
The whole structure is of the Gothic style
of architecture, in red brick, buttresses of
the same material running around the sides
capped with gray stone. The L is. how
ever, reversed. the lower portion of it rum
ming west instead OF to the right, as is u.s.
ually the case. high pitched roof of slate
covers the whole. The frontage is sixty
feet, and the depth sixty-two, and at an
he fun iS nnto
gon. which is of considerable size. coming
out nearly as far as the west wing. Abund-
ant daylight is provided from the front face
by double GJthic window, six by eight
and small rose window above it, both
being placed under half gable, which
starts from the northeast corner and runs
nearly to the center of the Q-street side.
In the remainder of this front is located the
main entrance. which is in the shape of a
projecting vestibule, having small windows
to the right and left of it. All the sashes
is also provided on the North Capitol street
side by small door at the top of a fight of
steps.
The Interior.
The architect, Mr.. H. A. Campbell In
designing the interior, has provided par
ticularly we'll arranged building, and just
suited to the purposes for which the build
ing is intended. 1t Is so arranged that by
means of rolling partitions the whole floor
space can be thrown from separate class
rooms into one auditorium. and when used
in this manner, will seat about four hum
dr. ed persons, tie seats being arranged in a
semi-circular form. In the north wing ia the
Bible class room, and that at the west side
the primary department. At the northeast
corner of the main auditorium is the plat
form. the chairs circliEg around 1t. The
entire roof of open work, oiled pine, is sup
ported principally by a large steel column,
from which five trusses of wood spring out
to the sides, there being in all seven trusses
The roof Is ceiled and panelled, and the walls
Of sand-finished plaster Gas light is obtain
ed by number of small chandeliers, and
heat from furnace under the north wing
in a small cellar. The total cost Of the
building Is nearly five thousand dollars
which has been expended under the direction
of the architect. Mr.. Campbell as superin-
tendent of construction. and Samuel J. Pres
cott the contractor and builder.