The Jersey City news., 1899-12-16
St. Johns P. E. Church to
Build an Extension in the
Rear Of the Chapel.
TO RELIEVE S. 5. PRESSURE
Progress of the Institute and
Plans for the Season
Among the Churches.

The Rev E. L. Stoddard, D. D., OF ol.
1otsn,s Episcopal Church, at Summit ana
Gardner avenues has plans on foot Ior
the alieyiation OF the present crowdeo
condition of the Sunday-school and insti-
f,,fe Of his church 1t is his intention to
erect more commodious building in the
rear Of the chapel to be used temporarily
as gymnasium and in case of an over
eow in the apartments used by the Sum
dayeschool pupils. The plans have not ad-
vanaed vary far as yet, save for the de-
rno,ition of the old gymnasium which ad-
TONED the brick chapel This was Of
wood. and far too small to comfortably
accommodate the members OF the various
classes OF the institute.
The new building will be frame struc-
ture and much larger than the old one.
The exeavating work has been completed
and the carpenters are expected to go 10
work next week. The building Will be
about thirty feet in height. forty feet in
width and sixty feet in depth. This Will
be vast improvement over the old strue-
ture.
The dancing class, reorganized about a
year ago by tie rector, has not been re-
organized this year nor is there any like
1ihood that II will be. Lack Of room pre-
vents its formation TO the great regret OF
the majority OF the young people.
Since the old gymnasium was razed, the
classes have been meeting in various parts
Of the church building. The boys and
senior gymnasium classes met in the Sun
day school room. The boxing class goes
to the sections room to try on the gloves.
The other classes and guilds either meet
at the homes OF some of the members or
manage to hold session in the Sunday
scnosi room when these are not in use.
The proposed building Is not TO be eiab-
crate or embellished in any form. 1t will
be simple IN all its details, as it will be
but temporary The new structure will,
when finished, be used by several of the
Sunday school classes. Sessions are now
held in the chapel, on the platform and
in the choir loft. The chapel is simply
5ammed with benches and chairs. Every
bit OF spare room has been utilized.
There are, by actual count. ten hundred
and fifty pupils in the Sunday School.
ct Johns is easily one of the largest In
the entire county among the Protestant
denominations. When the size OF the
school is taken into consideration, there
remains no other explanation as to why
q new gymnasium is needed. Fourteen
classes in the Institute are awaiting the
completion of the new building The
temporary structure is the first step to-
ward a new parish building, for which
the rector has been working several
years. Mr. Stoddard says in the
Bulletin that the parish work can
never assume its natural proportions un-
til the new building graces the site
adjofufng the church. The chapel is not
adapted for lectures and there are so few
rooms that several classes are forced to
meet elsewhere.
Every year the need of a parish build
Ing becomes more pressing. This was
shown by figures at the close OF last sea-
son's Institute course. There are almost
two hundred members in the various
classes and further increases are looked
for when more commodious quarters are
prepared for the reception OF the young
people New classes Will then be added
to the list and a pleasing course OF lee
lures prepared to interest the members
Mr., Stoddard has interested himself deep
Nv IN this work and he is determined tc
further the needs of the young folk II
fs hoped that the new gymnasium vii
be ready within six weeks or two months
at the most.