Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-04
NEW AUDITORIUM
EOR WILMINGTON
TO SEAT 5000
Big Building Project Mentioned
bv Director Barnhart at
Community Sing.
HIGH SCHOOL TOO SMALL

Wilmington is likely to have n new
auditorium. in the near future, which will
se>at 4 600 or = 900 persons, provided IN
tcrest IN the community Sings continue
10 grow. which is now Indicated will bc
the case.
While IL has not been divulged MS to
Just how the project will he financed, IT Is
believed that public-splritCd citizens stand
ready to back 1T financially, as soon as II
Is possible to resume building operations
on normal scale
II has long been evident that Whining
ton needed such an auditorium. and Stich
a project has been advocated from time
TO time. Efforts to make Wilmington
convention city have been handicapped
because of this lack Of hall space Bulid-
ings that have been used for the purpose,
though none was large enough, have
gwen way to industrial needs and now
thc only relief is found IN the theatres,
which arc not suitable for All purposes 10
which an auditorium would hc put.
ANNouNC EMENT MADE ny DIRECTOR
RARNuART.
In making announcement of plans Mt
The sing in front Of the Public Building
last night. Director Barnhart stated that
while the picnic lunch and band concert
and sing nj Rockford Park, next Tuesday
afternoon and evening, will wind up the
outdoor season the indoor sings at tho
High school will start III again around
October | and continue until the building
gets too small-thcn We will have a new
one. big enough TO accommodate four or
FIVE thousand people Nnd that sounds
reasonable. after all. and is rcassurlng tor
+ It's promise e the adoption Of Harry as 2
weekly citizen for the continuance Of
the war, at least
cHuDRENs SING GRFAT SUCCESS
Standing against back ground If tri-
color strcamers, with :. dladcu ot electric
lights crowning her hca6 and costumed
in a silkcn stars and stripes, Miss
Columbia closed UP the season Of out
door sings. last night. in q blaze OF glory,
surrounded l'y a bouquet Of 600 brightly
rarhed children. These were mostly girls,
with only a fringe of boys along the front,
and they certainly did have good tlnc,
Fielding 20 the spell Of Harry Barnhart,
whose sprightllness kept them between
giggle and 4 grin, and so out Of other
mischief. what time they were not sing
ing Justify IN either PLAIN or fancy style
the latter being accomplished by rhythmic
gestures Of hands or head or body, fixing
the attention Of the singers, and holding
that Of the audience
The songs were the familiar ones
Home Fires, long TRAIT, Kit Bag,
Heads Down, e arrv Nc Back the
latter particularly good and tho rest Of
the list, the childish voices full and true
always, and pulling at the heart s;rngs
and tear controls OF the listeners who
filed the City Hall plaza
Somebody spilled the piano Of the
truck the regular piano, that Is on the
tourney from It's lair up he Eleventh
street hill, which had disastrous results
on ITS usefulness, a musical coroner Jury
will sit on the remains today hurry
call was sent to the ArmoTN and the req
mental piano was drafted into the service,
and commanded by Captain Fred Watson,
who brought into play on the night wing,
w.tll his usual brilhancy.
" hat Is :; trivial occurrence. Ike break
ing one end of i piano. to malt the progress
Of a I5arnhart sihg: Answer Nothing
SIGNIFICANT flag SALUTE
The flag salute was colorfui and
effective; the allied ensign> were waved
.,lol;, as the national anthem was played,
and ;h:s feature eliminated with the
singing Of the Star Spangied Banner
and th., illumination Of Columbia" Inn
pcrsonated bv Kiss Helen kloberg- This
effect was surprise to Mr., Barnhart and
the audience. arranged bv Ferris Giles,
who has been one of the tutelary genluses
Of the outdoor concerts. looking after the
decorations and other details, and carried
out the special lighting and the very taste-
ful gonfalons. swags and bunting setting
for the evening
Cadet girls and Girl Scouts from the
Peoples Settlement, IN uniform, marched
J. over from their headquarters and occupied
seats on the platform, and number OF
other girls and boys, TOO, were costumed
10 patriotic cuts and colors.
After the flag salute the audience
seconded Barnhart 5 move OF votes OF
thanks to MIR. Giles for the decorations
and the Armory authorities for the loan
Of the piano. with ringing cheers, and
melted away into the night