Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-05-29
COMMUNITY HALL
A LIVE PROJECT
Committee Organizes for Pushing of
Woodstock's Civic Building


A united effort to materialize
dream of the citizens of Woodstock
which for years has been either dor
mant or active at intervals, was be
gun by committee representa-,
civic and official organizations of tn,
town last week. A community hall
the need for which has been appar
ent for years, will be built if tn.
plans of the committee are backed
by the cooperative effort of the com
munity.
Already the site for such a hal
has been acquired and paid for, &
foundation has been built and q
fund of $4,000 is in the hands OF
the sponsors of the movement. This
fund has grown to its present pro-
portions through the unselfish work
of the women of Woodstock, who
have for years by festivals and other
methods created such a substantial
nucleus for building fund This
fund has been kept intact for the
purpose indicated and now that the
movement for a community hall,
which means civic center, has been
resurrected and rejuvenated, h er e
should be a united effort to erect
the building.
The present organization consists
of DR.. F. Wilson Gearing, chairman;
Mrs. Guy d. Benchoff, secretary;
Mrs. Joseph B. Clover, treasur-
er; ]. Grove Kneisley. j. Walter
Bailey, Allen K. Albert, William A.
Few. DR.. J. B. Rush, w. NJ. Calvert,
Mrs. F. Wilson Gearing, Mrs. Wal
ter H. Wunder and Mrs. John A. Hell
Ter. Subcommittee are as follows:
Plans and Specifications-J. B. Glow
er, chairman; DR.. j. B. Rush and
William M. Calvert. Ways and
Means. Walter Bailey, chairman;
W. M. Calvert, ]. Grove Kenisley and
w. A. Few.
The tentative plans, as indicated
by the committee, are to erect as
soon as possible a unit of what will
eventually be an imposing town hall.
This unit will be used for assemblies.
baZaars and such other gatherings as
are part of community's life. 1t
is anticipated that such a building
will not only be a source of revenue
but will add to the funds otherwise
accumulated for the purpose of push
ing the basic plans to a completion.
In this way there will be no mi
tial expenditure of a large sum of
money and eventually the town will.
have hall such as the promoters
of the movement desire that it should
have.
Probably no town in Virginia of
like size and equal population is as
poorly equipped for bazaars, ban
quets, school gatherings and civic
meetings as Woodstock. True, the
New Theatre is commodious and well
adapted for some classes of meet
ings. and through the generosity
and courtesy of Col Howard Ben
choff, Headmaster at Masanutten
Academy, Lantz Hall has been used
frequently by townspeople for their
gatherings. Frankly, there is no rea-I
son why a town of Woodstock
prominence should expect the use of
the Academy building for local pur-
poses and though there has never
been any hesitancy on the part of
Col. Benehoff in rendering the use of
the school building, yet it is to a
certain extent unfair to ask it.
The community building will OBJ
viate the necessity for asking the use
of the Academy or theatre, for while
both have been freely given such
giving was at a loss to the owners.
Parenthetically, this statement is
made without the knowledge of
either Col Benehoff or Mr.. Dalke.
Getting down to brass tacks. If
Woodstock can have a community
hall, and it can, why hesitate or de-
lay the beginning of the building?
1t is not the purpose to ask the town
council for financial aid. 1t is the
plan to use just what has been cre-
ated and gathered together for the
laudable undertaking and to finance
the proposition without placing any
burden upon the taxpayers.
Let this be the final and success
full attempt to bring to a realization
the hopes of many, many years, i. e.,
A TOWN HALL FOR WOODSTOCK.