Norwich bulletin., 1910-02-03
TAFTVILLE CONVENT
 NEARLY COMPLETED.

NEARLY COMPILE ED. Parish, With All Modern conven- iences-
 With only a few finishing touches remaining, the handsome new convent
 of the Sacred Heart parish pleted in another week or so and will be furnished and occupied within a | month The convent, which is situat | ed on the rising ground in the rear of sents an attractive exterior, and within the design followed results in a most
 convenient and comfortable home for the Sisters of the parish, fitted with all modern inprov eaaents and finished
 in a harmonious manner throughout. The building is n feet inches by 38 feet, is two StorleS in height, with
 an attic with dornler windows. The l exterior is of red brick. with Indiana limestone trimmings, and the roof is Bangor. Me, slate and has gutters of copper. A spacious veranda is built along part Of the rear and north side of the convent.
 Going up the front entrance steps, which are of Leominster granite, and going through the front door of cypress finished in the natural color, with its framed elliptic arch, the visitor passes into the vestibule, finished in hardwood stained mission effect The same hard wood finishing with mission effect is the rule throughout the convent, with
 the exception of the kitchen and sev- eral small rooms. The walls and cell
 ings are of white plaster, the doors are
 of cypress finished natural and the
 floors are all of hardwood and finished
 natural.
 The vestfbuIe opens into the stair
 way hall, where there is a, plastered
 arch, beyond which Is the main cor
 ridor, 50 feet long and feet wide, in
 the center of the building.
 On the right, entrance to the chapeI
 is gained by two doors. With its white
 plastered groins, panels and relief con-
 soles, the windows of stained glass.
 and the altar finished in white and
 gold, the effect here is most beautiful
 the front. There are electric droplights
 from the groins of the arches and arch
 lighting in the sanctuary. Here as
 elsewhere the mission style is used eff
 Actively. with seats of ash finished
 natural The chapel is 33 by Is feet and is undoubtedly one of the finest in
 the state.
 Three music rooms, each 12 Dy sc, with folding doors, are at the left If the corridor, and beyond them is . eide vestibule cpening from the corridor on to the veranda. At the end of th. COZ ridor is the well appointed kit then, IA by IT feet, of hard pine finished natu- ral A commodious provision pantry adjoins the kitchen on the left, and a convenience here is a built-in refrig- orator which may be filled with ice from the outside. One door In the kitchen opens on the veranda, and an- other on the cellar stairway.
 A buffers pantry is on the right side of the kitchen. with glass cup boards. a planished copper sink and marble drain boards. All the plumbing in the building is open and nickel plated and the hardware of old brass The buffers pantry separates the kitchen and the refectory, which is 22 by 16 feet, is lighted by a triple win adding a pleasing effect Access is also gained to the dining room from the corridor.
 Two stairways lead to the second floor, one at each end of the corridor, The front stairway hall Is lighted by a leaded glass window It is a plat form stairway, with carved gooseneck railing, and the walls are wainScotted sion effect. It leads to a corridor of the same dimensions as on the first floor, from which the community room. 16 by 23 feet, and nine cells, by IA feet. each with its own closet. open. At the end of this corridor at the left is a 9x6 linen closet, with roomy cupboards and drawers for stor- ing candelabra, linen, etc. Nearly op- posite this room is the bathroom, con taindng two baths and two toilets each individual. being separated by parti- donS from each other. The bathroom is just at the head of the back stair way: Over this is another stairway leading to the third floor, where there are seven more cells, room for them being made by the dormer windows.
 The building is lighted throughout by electricity, 24 candlepOwer tungsten lamps being used. A switch in the mother supertors room on the second floor of the convent controls the light ing in all Of the cells. Among the other electrical conyeniencez Is the bell system. the annunciator being locat.d on the wall in the kitchen.
 Inside blinds of natural finished cy- press are used at all the windows
 In the basement or cellar which is of extra height, is a laundry IS by If feet, finished in hard pine with plas- tered ceiling, containing set tubs. etc. Here is also the boiler room, with a Mercer heating boiler and bins for the furnace and kitchen coal. There is also a large provision cellar and an- other large cellar for vegetables. There is one toilet in the basement where with the exception of the vegetable cellar. cement floor has been laid. Besides the stairway down from the there is an outside ceIlarway.
 Among the principal firms connected with the building of the convent are: Chickering & O'Conneu, architects. of Boston; James J. O'Donovan, general contractor; Preston Bros, electrical wiring; John T. Ryan, plumbing and heating; LaRochelIe & Delaney, paint ing.
 Taken as a whole, the building is one of which the parish may well feel proud, for 1t wiH compare favorsbly with that of any parish of it's size. Much credit is due the pastor, Rev. Ar thur O'keefe, for his earnest and un- tiring efforts for the betterrnent of his parish in building this and the new parochiai school which is now in pro- cess of construction.
 These new parish buildings were necessitated by a fire which in Sep tenber, 1908, destroyed the parochial school and badly damaged the con vent adjoining. Father O'Keefe met the situation resourcefully and at once began plans for the new buildings the Sisters have taken a tenement in the village, and the school children have been taken into the pub lie school q temporary building having been built and numerous changes made. 4 class of four or five has been taught by the Sisters.
 Work at the school is coming along well the heating system having been installed and ready for 8 test. The electric wiring is being done by George L.. Depathey for Preston Bros. and the lathing will soon be started. The