Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-11-10
BIG IMPROVEMENT.

| Ihe buildings which have Deenln u
course of erection for the last fiy
months at the Virginia School for til
Deaf and the Blind of this city are con
ple:ei, and yesterday they were occr
pied and will be now used regularly
They consist of an addition to the dir
ing room, of 20x38 feet, which was in
peratively demanded. This additiO
was carried up to the full height of th
old building, and this gives a larg
basement room which will ultimatel
be used as cold storage. The rooms i'm
mediately over the dining room will b
used as part of the infirmary and tw
of the cheeriest, and most comfortabl
rooms in the institution are to be foun'
here. There will also be two servants
rooms here which were also great.
needed, and large store room. Thes'
last are Immediately under the dinin:
room.
In addition to these there has beer
erected large stone and brick building
so feetsquare where the pond uses te
be, which is connected by neat and wei
built covered way with the other build
ings. The basement of this building viii
for the present be used as a play room
and gymnasium during bad weather,
and this feature has given TIE students
much delight. The next story of this
building will be school rooms. These
are admirable. They are SO we'll ven
tilated and lighted as to be very attrac-
tive. On the next floor are bed rooms
and school rooms, all admirably ventil-
heated properly. The next floor con-
tains two dormitories 20x50 feet, and
these are exceptionally adapted for the
purpose. In this building the halls are
ample. They have just the size and
other features required, their width be-
ing 10 feet. The stairways are wide
and of easy ascent. The whole is fin
ished in North Carolina pine plainly but
neatly, and the work has been well
done throughout There is 10 attempt
at anything but solidity and strength,
apart from the general fitness of the
building for the purposes intended. The
basement of the large building has
granolithic floor and the supports are
iron pillars and iron girders. The Con-
tract was let to Mr.. G. J. Hunt, of
Richmond, and the plans and specifca-
tions drawn by him, the hoard requir-
ing the building to correspond in gen
eral appearance with he other buildings.
Mr. Hunt sublet the work as follows:
The stone and brick work to L. T. AL
mond; the wood work to George w.
Fretwell; the plastering to George B.
Greaver; the painting to j. r. Gregory;
The tin work to A. M. CARRIER; the gran
Olithic work to VIM. Larner. j. A
Sheets furnished the brick. The work
is all of the most substantial character,
the stone work being of the best ruble
work, the brick well selected and care
fully laid, the work is neat, we'll fitted
in character, the rlastering
and painting we'll done and the whole
is credit alike to the Institution and to
The persons who contracted for it's exc
,ution. The bridge connecting the
building with the main buildings is a
feature of the work. 1t is neat, and it's
gives the greatest conven-
ience, as well as adding to the general
appearance. The plumbing was done
by the force at the institution under
the management of Mr.. J. B. Miller,
and the superintendent thinks is of a
very high nature. About the buildings
there have been spaces utilized with eX-
cellent economy of space and general
convenience. The whole work has been
done within the $4,000 appropriation,
the buildings costing about $1,000, the
plumbing extra, but there was still
fund left with which to supply the bed
rooms and dormitories with iron bed
Steads, and other useful and necessary
The grounds are i'm
proved, in the estimation of many, by
the removal Of the lake OF pond, which
was always a source of apprehension
from sanitary point. The building is
now being fitted with electric bells,
which were necessity, and these will
save much time. The dining room is
now filled to its capacity notwithstand
ing its addition, and may in few years
require further enlarging, but just now
it was made as large as the money ap
propriated would allow. This removes
the congestion, allows many pupils who
school heretofore, to attepd, and in
many ways has improved and broad
ened the scope of this institution.