Ellsworth American., 1920-01-28
HANCOCK HALL.
Mayor Hagerthy Appeals to People
for Its Protection.

Mayor Hagerthy Appeals to People
for Its Protection.
Five years ago a petition signed
by fifty prominent business men was
presented to the mayor and board
of aldermen requesting that Fred E..
Cooke be appointed manager and
custodian of Hancock hall. The
mayor and aldermen unanimously
agreed that Mr.. Cooke should be ap-
pointed.
Mr.. Cooke found the hall in bad
condition, but under his manage
ment, with the help of the Ellsworth
dramatic club under Mr.. Cookies di-
rection, new lighting system was
installed in dressing-rooms and on
the stage, and new carpets and fur
niture bought, without any expense
to the city, and the hall made a
place where Ellsworth citizens were
proud to come and bring their
friends.
At that time the ladies had COM
planned of the lack of a dressing
room in the hall, as the regular
dress1ng-room was monopolized by
young men smoking. To give the
ladies room to be used exclusively
by them and still have a place for
the men to smoke, a large, airy
room was arranged on the second
hoor back of the gallery, and notices
were posted in the hall to that eff
feet.
Mr.. Cooke has more than lived up
to his agreement with the city, and
has put much extra time in getting
| the hall to look as it does
Until two years ago it had been
the custom to use Hancock hall for
| basketball games. Owing to the
fact that considerable damage was
| done to the hall, such as breaking
, doors and mirrors, tampering with
the lights, etc., it was decided at
that time that the playing of bas-
| ket-ball be discontinued in the hall.
This year, as an athletic club had
| been formed, with prominent busi-
ness men as its officers, and a strong
i basketball team put in the field, it
! was deemed best to let the hall
again for basketball. The officers
of the club agreed to see that the
hall was properly used, and that no
| damage was done.
Within the last two weeks, before
the basketball team began the use
| of the hall, one of the toilet-rooms
which it was necessary to close on
! account of a freeze-up, was broken
| into, the fittings broken, and the
walls written upon. The coverings
have also been torn from the doors
in the upper halls.
Now, if the boys or young men
who do these things will only real
ize that their parents are the ones
who, in the end, pay for the dam
age, perhaps they would be more
careful. 1t would seem, after the
efforts that Mr.. Cooke has put forth
to give us a hall surpassed by no
city of it's size in thes State, that we
should all be interested in keeping
| it in it's present condition, for Han
cock halls means to Ellsworth what
the city hall means to Bangor or
Portland.
| Owing to a heavy war tax and the
increase in the cost of fuel, etc., it
now becomes necessary to advance
the rates for the hall. In the fu-
ture, the rental of the hall will be
$12 per night for one entertain
ment. If followed by a dance
special terms can be arranged with
Mr.. Cooke, who is fully authorized
to make such terms.
This applies to all societies, clubs
or other Organizations. All engage
ments of the hall may be made
through Mr.. Cooke.
A. C.. HAGERTHY, Mayor