The Somerset reporter., 1902-10-02
Paroch,aI School Building.

Parochial School on the ground belong
Ing to that church on the south eide 0
Water street, fronting thereon and dl
rectly on the bank Of the Keunebt,
river, near the Catholic Church, ie yer,
nearly completed; the carpenters and
painters now being employed In glvln 9
the Interior the Flushing touches.
The structure is capacious brick
building, erected upon the solid ledge al
foundation, 10 which first-class mate.
rial has been used thrc ughout, and the
work has been done 10 a very thorough
and substantial manner by builders
among Skowhegsn's best In their va atsous
lines. The stone work and foundation
was under the direction OF Henry ViRue;
the brick work under that of Hoxie &
Son and Mr.. Brown; the carpenter work
by McQuillan & Pooler; the roofing by
P. ID. Fortier Of Waterville; heating and
plumbing by the Steward Heating and
Plumbing Company the painting etc. By
Dube q Beaudoin. All Skowhegan men
but Fortier.
The building has three stories with a
basement and sub-basement which
make practically four stories beside the
Mausard roof and sub-bssement. The
size Of the building is 72x43 feet, and
broad piazzas extend around the south
erly side and easterly end. Ii Is on sne
south side of Water street, fronts on that
street and Is about $50 feet therefrom.
The sub-basement is used for the heat
ing apparatus, a Gurney hot water heat
er OF $500 feet capacity, for storage of
fuel, and for water closets on either side
OF the central stairway, leading thereto.
The basement proper is large, light.
airy room, occupying the full size of the
building excepting the stairway leading
to 1t from above and those leading to the
suo-basement,an and is to be used as recre.
alton hall and at times for dining room,
when such use is desirable.
The first or main Fl Dor is divided into A
parlor or reception room, Just at the left
as you enter the main corridor, and four
class or recitation rooms, one small one
for the accommodation of about l5 pu.
pills, one for about 40 pupils and two
larger at the right of the entrance 10
accommodate from so to 60 pupils; also
corridors to give access to all the rooms
and TO lead to the Sisters house that
fronts on Water street. There are also
four recitation rooms on the second f1or
all OF the larger size, which, with the
necessary corridors and stairways, occu
py the whole of that floor.
This brings US to the third floor which
with the Mansard roof space is arranged
and finished as a spacious hall with deep
galleries on the westerly emo and south
erly side and stage 20 feet deep on the
easterly end. The main floor OF the hall
will be 52x43 feet, excepting space taken
out for the entrance, and with the gal
leries will be furnished with folding
chairs for seats. The stage has a seps-
rate entrance and two ingeniously plan
ned dressing rooms. The hall as ar.
ranged is an excellent one for the assem-
blies Of the church and school for their
entertainments.
The class rooms are especially well
lighted on two sides and those on the
southern elevation are particularly pleas
ant with splendid outlook up and down
and across the beautiful Kennebec river
that flows close to the foundation of the
building. The views from the several
stories, particularly the upper one, and
from the piszza and dome are especially
attractive and delightful.
The rooms and corridors are finished
with wainecoatings and other trimmings
In hard pine with birch floors throughout.
The finish is not ornate, but is rich and
tasteful, we'll adapted to the purposes of
school building. The building is heat
ed with hot water throughout, thorough
ly plummed and lighted by incandescent
electric lights. Several Of the claes
rooms have not been furnished yet but
enough have been. with modern desks
seats, slate boards, ETC., so that the
school year was entered upon, last week,
by classes In six Of the eight rooms.
A change has been made In the com
munity from which teachers are to come.
Heretofore they have been from the
Ursuline Sisterhood but hereafter they
will be of the Franciscan sisters of ST.
Paul Bay, Province of Quebec. Four of
these arrived, WEDNESDAY last, six will
arrive this week and the number will be
Increased to II or Is as the work pro-
crosses.
Beside those whose homes are
here in town, pupils will be taken from
other places and board and rooms fur
nished, and thus the field of the work
and influence of the school will be ex
tended.
The erection Of this school building
has been under way for two seasons and
other changes and improvements in the
Catholic property here has been vigor.
ously conducted. Father Lacroix has
been the active agent in all this work
and he has been an exceedingly busy
man during the progress of the building
operations here.