The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-17
PLAN FOR HOME
Of THE Y. ". c. 4.
is About Completed and is to In
cIude the Popular Feature
Of Boarding
Home.
ARTISTIC AND USEFUL
Miss Edna o'Harra at Home From ce-
dar Rapids and Burlington and
Gives an Interesting
Interview.
ARTISTIC AND USEFUL

The Young Woman's Christian AS
sociation building enterprise is now
assuming definite shape. The plan
has about been adopted and only a
few features of red tape are to be
observed before it can be pronounced
as an absolute sact that the plan has
been approved which includes
boarding home
In order to get as near the present
status on the subject from the very
best authority The Gate City sought
an interview with Miss Edna O'Harra,
general secretary of the Young Wo-
mans Christian Association who has
just returned from her trip to Cedar
Rapids and Burlington where she Wis.
tied for the express purpose of in
specting the new association building
already in use in Cedar Rapids and
the plans for the building lately begun
at Burlington and she makes some
very interesting and valuable COM
ments on both structures in compari-
son with the proposed plans for the
new Keokuk building which will be
very interesting reading for home
people and our nearby neighbors.
Miss OHarra says:
INTELLECTUALLY the building at
Cedar Rapids is ideal, but from point
of getting the best use and satisfac-
ton out of it it has several features
which Keokuk could not find practical
at all.
For instance, the cafeteria has
been put at the back of the second
floor and they have no elevator, this
entails a great deal of very objection
al stair climbing. Then the bulk Of
the association work and the audi
torium are on the third floor and this
is even worse. In our building we
are planning to put the cafeteria and
cafe on the first floor along with the
offices, parlor and reading rooms !;
with our rest room, club room and
board room on the second floor where
all will be in easy access to the pub
lie.
! Not Criticism.
This is not a criticism of the
Cedar Rapids building for it was the
best that could be done ON a long mar
row inside lot and Keokuk has only
more cause to be grateful for the
splendid location that our new build
ing will have fronting as it does one
hundred feet on Blondeau and eighty
four feet on Fifth street.
"In point of finish the Cedar Rapids
building will excel ours for it cost
$4,000 and does not include any
boarding home while ours Is to in
cIude both on much smaller amount.
1t simply means that We cannot af-
ford selected oak throughout the in
terror nor will the exterior be Of tapes
try brick but we will be able to offer
to the public plain, substantial yet
artistic, we'll lighted and attractive
building.
I'VE so fell the necessity Of includ-
ing the boarding home that We are
glad to economic on costly unessen-
tial materials and put the amount
saved into twenty-five bedrooms,
proper bath facilities, two down stairs
parlors, a dining room and laundry
to accommodate girls who are living
away from home.
THE boarding home will be distinct
ly walled off from the administration
part of the work. yet a great saving
will be affected in walls, roof, heat
ing, janitor service and general main
tenance.
"Burlington's plans are good but
they too have a long narrow lot shut
in from light on the two long sides,
and therefor can scarcely avoid some
unfortunate features.
"At the meeting of the building
committee last night the tentative
plans we're changed in only few very
slight details and have been turned
over now to the advisory board for
final comment or acceptance.
There is only one question con-
fronting us: Shall we build over the
entire space and include the boarding
home. which means that We will have
to increase our building budget to a
moderate extent, or shall We build on
only part OF our ground, emitting the
boarding home and closing our eyes