The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-06
BIG. AUDITORIUM
PLANNED BY CHORUS.
$4,000 Building VIII Hold
5000 Persons
OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS
Grounds VIII Also Be Procured 500
That Summer Encampments Can
Be HeId-coneert In Ensley
Soon.

Plans are being nlaterialized by the ex-
ecutive committee of the Jefferson coun-
ty Sunday School association for the
building in Birmingham of a $4,000 audi
forum for the purpose of holding the
great annual Sunday school conventions
and for other religious gatherings.
This is the result of the proposition
lately made in this city at a meeting of
the members of the convention chorus
which did such splendid work during the
late state Sunday school convention held
here. and the enthusiasm over the work
of this choir is really the motive which
led to the inauguration of the,auditorium
project
| Since the initial meeting of the auditor
| ium promoters ten days ago the men
most interested in the plans have been
| working out the details and have reached
| the conclusion that Birmingham must
have the auditorium, and. in discussing
the project locally have been encouraged
to proceed at once on a basis which will
result in the erection of handsome and
! commodlous frame structure capable OF
seating 5000 persons and which will be Il
/ credit to the city and solve the problem
of handling great religious gatherings
| here.
! The building will be erected by the
Jefferson County Sunday School associa-
ton, but the auditorium will not be re-
| strcted to the Sunday school conventions
1t may be used by other religious bodies
affiliated with this organization. 1t is
the plan of the promoters to erect the
| building outside the city limits on one
| of the car lines, which will permit of
ready access to the place and easy and
rapid handling of the great crowds that
may assemble.
1t is proposed to hay two-story build
! ing capable of seating 1900 persons on
the first floor and 10000 in the balconies,
with choir loft holding 500 singers.
| Two fine sites for the proposed building
have already been offered the committee
| in charge, either one without cost to the
association. The committee will choose
the most available site with reference to
accessibility and for future expansion as
the committee has in view the idea of
| adding grounds for the purpose of holding
summer encampments If possible
In connection with the auditorium pro-
ject the County Sunday School associa-
ton will develop and augment the con-
vention chorus and plan to increase the
active membership of this body to $50 or
3Oo and with this in view permanent Or
ganzation has been made and the name
of the Jefferson County Sunday School
chorus has been adopted.
Prof. Stephen Allsopp, director of the
chorus during the late convention, has
been engaged for one year to direct the
| work of this chorus at a salary and will
at once begin the training of this large
body of singers
There are 230 Sunday schools in Jeffer-
son county 'and among these will be Sc
lected the best voices to constitute the
permanent chorus. There are fully 500
good voices in these Sunday schools. and
all who become members of the chorus
are within easy access to the city through
the car lines that traverse the district.
The people of Ensley are very enthusl-
astic over the Sunday school chorus. and
are SO DESTROYS of hearing them sing
again that o concert Is being planned for
| Thursday evening, May 16, at the Ensley
opera house fine programme is being
| arranged for that occasion, consisting of
the choruses sung during the conven-
ton with solos and duets specially pre-
pared for that event An admission fee
will be charged which will go to the fund
of the big choir.
This body Of singers will also render
a musical programme during the Baptist
encampment at East Lake, which will
take place in June between the 9TH and
| 18th of the month,