The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-10-28
DEDICATED HALL
New Music Room the Scene Of
Brilliant Recital.
HAPPY Speeches by President Purin-
ton and Mr.. Sturgiss wright
son Indicates Progress Of School
Gift Of $4,000 for 500, 900 Music
Building.
From Wednesdays Daily.

4
From Wednesdays Daily.
The new recital hall of the Uni
versity School of Music was dedi
Gated last night with appropriate
exercises. The program consisted
OF short addresses by President
Purinton, Hon. Geo. G. Sturgiss and
Dean Wrightson, and musical mum
bers by Prof. Wertime, Dean Wright.
son and Mr.. Spence. About three
hundred people were present by in.
viiatiou, this being all that the room
will seat comfortably.
The recital hall is situated in the
third floor of Woodburn Hall. The
loom is well known to the public as
the one formerly occupied by the
premedieal department of the Uni
versity and used before the days OF
the armory for the military and
commencement dances. The entire
third floor was formerly in one room
but it has been cut in two by parti-
tion, and the eastern end is the re-
cital hall. 1t has been transformed
by the decorator and is beautiful
room. All this has been done with
out cent of cost to the University.
The dedicatory exercises were be-
gun last night by DIR. Purinton, who
made a Snort address of welcome.
He spoke in a most happy vein, re-
ferring to the music school as the
youngest member of the educational
household. She was born, he said,
only six years ago, but in that time
had grown from infancy to maiden
hood. and even now had attained the
usefulness and importance of woman
hood. She had been Graded in the
old hos pital building on High street,
but now, for the first time in her
life, had set up housekeeping for
he self, and was "at home" tonight
to her friends. DIR. Holmes had
once tacetiously remarked: Man.
kind is divided into three classes
the saints, the sinners and the
Beechers. The whole University
was divided into three parasitic
students, professors, and the school
of Music.
Mr.. Sturgiss followed Or. Purinton
with what he was pleased to call an
informal talk. His remarks, also
were 10 the entertaining vein OF the
after dinner speaker He closed
with a prophecy that in few years,
the School of Music would have a
800, 900 building. If Dean Wright
son would 90 to Charleston with his
instructors and musical organiza
tions, he believed he could charm
the ducats out of the state legisla-
ture. There were enough rich men
in the state who owed their opulence
to the natural wealth of the West
Virginia mountains to make this
100000 building possible. Mr..
Sturgiss paid high tribute to the
enthusiasm and energy of Dean
Wrightson.
Dean Wrightson gave some re
marketable statistics showing the
progress of the school. When he
came, here, the total enrolment of
the School OF Music was l42; it is
now SIG. Then the income outside
OF state appropriations was $4,000;
now it is over $4,000. There was a
faculty then of five instructors; now
there are eleven. Then there were
three pianos in use, now there are
thirteen. Five rooms were then
used, now eleven are used.
Dean Wrlghtson announced the
gift of 1926, 600 towards a building to
cost 100000. The donor is a
wealthy west virginian, who does
not care to have his name used. Mr..
Julian Fleming had given piano tn
the school as memorial to his
daughter, Miss Bessie Fleming. The
instrument was the one used by her.
He had also loaned a fine violin,
dated 1715, which the Dean thought
would turn out to be a genuine
Stradivarius of great value. The
thanks of the school are due 10 the
Wm.Knabe piano company, for their
generosity.
Following these remarks, the
musical program was rendered. The
first number was sonata tor piano
and violin, Op. As, Grieg, by Mr..
Wertime and Mr.. Spence. The au-
dience will not soon forget its in
toxicating sweetness.
Mr.. Wertime was heard later 10
five selections from Chopin, covering
wide range, and affording him the
best opportunity for the use Of his
remarkable powers. The impression
made upon the audience was deer
and convincing. Mr.. Wertlme'f
place as pianist in the estimation
of the public is secure.
Dean Wrightson sang six songs
during the evening. Two Of these
we're Longing" and Sweet Love
now / Must Leave Thee" by Richard
Strauss. "Poppies' by De Kover
and "They Shall Hunger no MorE,'
by Neidlinger, were the audiences
savorites. The Dean was at his bcsl
last night, and never made more
decided hit with a Morgantowr
audience.
DR.. j. W. Hartigan and Franl
Kunst of this place attended th,
Nicely Ramage marriage at Fairmont