Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-10-22
ThurImont High School.

on New Building Designed by
B. Evard Kepner. Architect.
ROOms-Where Located
and Their Purpose.
With the rise of the brick walls from
the excavations, the new school building
begins to take more form in the eyes OF
the onlooker.
From the height of the basement win
dows it can be seen that the building
will set high and that the basement
rooms will thereby be well lighted and
free from dampness.
There are four large rooms in the base
ment-perhaps not for immediate use,
but which have been provided for-to
contain, front on the left, the Sewing
and Dining Room of the Domestic Sci
ence department. Rear, left. is the Kit
chen, which completes the Domestic Sci
ence department. Right front is the
Chemical and Agronomical laboratory.
Right rear is the Manual Training de-
partment.
That portion of the basement excava-
ted two feet deeper takes care OF the b
large furnaces, air reservoirs, heating
chambers and heat ducts. Fuel will also
be stored in this portion. In the front
projection will be the toilet rooms; on
the left the girls rooms, and on the
right the boys rooms.
The four class rooms will be foored
over the concrete. with an excellent ma
pie floor on wood screeds.
The grade entrances on east and west
sides enter through vestibule upon a
slate platform from which steps of same
material lead to both basement and first
floor, The front entrance leads to a
short hall which meets the cross hall in
the center of the building.
Entering the building via the front en-
trance, on the left is the Library, room
Of ample size for it's purpose. Cores
pondingly, on the right, is the Teachers
Rooms, containing lockers and shelving
for books, etc. On either side of the hall
and adjacent to these rooms, are two
cloakrooms of sufficient hanging space
for two classes of pupils each.
five class rooms, 24x30 feet are ar
ranged for on this floor-two in front
and three to the rear-all lighted from
two sides except the center room in the
rear which, however, is well lighted. A
large coakroom for two classes is also
provided between two of the rear rooms.
On the second floor are four class
rooms 24x30 feet. two front and two in
the rear Cloakrooms three in number
are provided on this floor.
The Principals office is located above
the second floor on the left, over the
stair. and gives the necessary privacy to
the room.
The feature of this building is the
Auditorium, which is located on this
floor. Extending over the rear class
room and hall and minor rooms of the
first floor, this Auditorium covers floor
space thirty-one feet wide and sixty feet
long, with an area of 1860 square feet,
and seating capacity varying from $50
to $50 according to arrangement of seats.
A stage ten by eighteen feet and ante
rooms or dressing rooms. complete the
assignment of rooms.
This room is not designed for heavy
plays requiring large stage ia cilties, but
for lecture and public speaking purposes
principally. The ceiling is nearly twenty
feet high in this room and will be finish
ed white. The graceful steel trusses
carrying the concrete roof over this por-
ton, will form part of the ornament of
the room, and be painted glossy black.
BY keeping the ceiling of this room
high, the architect was enabled to ar
range his windows along the side of the
room where it projects above the main
roof on each side, and by so doing gives
the room not only an abundance of well
admitted light, but also affords the best
possible means of ventilation in a room
of this kind
Two drinking fountains are located on
each floor of the building, and are of the
bubbling type.
The windows throughout the building
above the basement are extra large, be-
ing four by eight feet, and are hung with
Austral hardware, which permits of best
ventilation and light that can be secured.
Each room contains seven windows of
80 square feet of glass surface each, Civ
ing to the room light area of 2lO square
feet. The floor area is 72O SO. it. pei
room, hence the percentage of light te
floor is about 80 per cent. The specifi
cations of modern schools call for only Il
per cent. light, so it can be seen how
sufficient the light will be.
Blackboards AZ inches high will be in
stalled on two sides of every room, with
unique chalk receivers and dust boxes.
The chalk ledge is of wood sunken In the
center with wire cover of mesh small
er than pieces of chalk could fall through,
but permits of the passage of the chalk
dust. Small plugs in the bottom of this
ledge, when removed, permit of the dust
being brushed through into a bucket O
pan held beneath openings.
When completed the building will pro
vide accommodations for between 30
and 400 pupils, with an ultimate capacit.
of between 500 and 600, in such an even