The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-09-29
COngregationalists NeedM
Room for Sunday School
and Parish House
EXPENSE ESTIMATED
AT ABOUT $40, 900
Special Meeting Next Week Friday
Night, When Stereopticon Views Will
Be Shown-Dining Room of 800 Ca
pacity Contemplated.


Be Shown-Dining Room of 800 Ca
pacity Contemplated.
Enlarged Sunday school quarters and
parish house combined are among the
prospects of the Centre Congregational
parish of Brattleboro for the coming
year. Plans which are satisfactory to
the building committee have been fur
nished by prominent New York archi-
/ Itect, one of the best in this country in
/ this particular line, and on Friday
night of next week a special meeting
of the Brattleboro East society, the ec-
clesiastical society of the parish, viii
| he held to decide what further shall
be done, and, if desired, to take some
action toward providing the funds for
carrying out the project.
Announcement to this effect was
made by kev Roy NJ. Houghton at the
morning church service yesterday,
which was given up to the rally day
exercises OF the Sunday school, and this
seemed a very appropriate time for
making the announcement, as the en-
larged quarters are designed primarily
to meet the needs of growing Sun
day school, at the same time to pro
vide for the requirements Of other de-
lpartments of the church work.
The cost Of carrying out the project
according to the architect S plans is
estimated by him to be about S20,000
Rev. Mr.. Houghton, who is deeply inter
ested and Very enthusiastic over the
outlook, said that possibly $4,000
would be needed. He gave the name of
one man, former resident, who offer
ed to give 5000 as soon as he learned
that such a project was contemplated.
Rev Mr.. Houghton 5 enthusiasm was
impaired to the children and when he
asked them if they were willing to be-
gin right away to save for the new
rooms their beaming countenances con
stituted the best answer. He told the
story of little girl whose savings re-
suited in the erection Of one of the
largest and finest Sunday school build
ings in the United States, in the city
of Philadelphia, besides a church and
hospital. The little girl had become i'll
and was taken to heaven, and after she
had gone they found under her pillow a
little purse containing 81 pennies which
she had saved for building a place for
children who. wanted to 90 to Sunday
: got into the newspapers and $3.50, 600
| poured in for building in memory of
that little girl.
For a long time the need of more
room has been felt for the various
! church activities, and year ago a
committee of II was appointed, OF
which Judge James NJ. Tyler is chair
man, to investigate the matter of pro
; viding the necessary room. This com
/ nittee appointed a committee, con
+ sisting of F. +. Perry, l.. A. Whitney
? and Mrs. y. l. Hawley, and they got
! in touch with q New York architect
e Oscar s. Teal, who came here and look
e ed over the ground, met members of the
e committee and was told what it was
5 desired to incorporate in the plans.
: An effort has been made to get al
option on land adjoining the churcl
premises, but without success. TIL,
committee did not purpose to let mat
ter of that kind prove to be an OBJ
stacle, however and it was decided t.
a utilize some of the land in front of tn,
vestry, between the church and Georg
II. CIapp 5 residence, and all plans havt
/ been made on that basis.
p When William r. Mead Of New York
: a member of the noted firm of archi
tects, McKim, Mead & White an,
IL brother of the late Larkin G.. Mead
II the sculptor, learned of the project h
promised a contribution of $500, be
/ cause of his associations here, and sal
q that the making of the plans were i
- good hands as Mr.. Teal was man o
= large experience in the work
: One set of plans after another wa
9 made until four sets had been prepared
i and the last plans are just right, en-
~ bodyIng the suggestions and providin
: for the needs of all the organization
of the church. fhey contemplate build
ing the chapel two stories high an
carrying it forward on the south sid
of the church about 40 feet This woul
carry it past two of the lower window
in the church, but the qestion of hgh
I'd is taken care of.
On the main floor will be large Sun
day school room and entertainment hal
. with seating capacity of $50. 1t wi
+ be equipped with a stage and will b
It, admirably suited TO public lectures. O
al the second floor will be a fine women
tt parlor with kitchenette in connection
10 class rooms, pastor S study and Brotl
IN erhood room, with freplaces where az
n visable. Under the first floor of bot
r chapel and church viii be dining rool
of and kitchen, the dining room having
id seating capacity of 800 at one tim
1T Three sides of the chapel basement al
iabove ground, so the new dining rool