The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1949-09-22
Enlarged Museum
Will Open On Nov. Is
The Two New Wings, The Gift
OF Mrs. Anna Brugh Singer,
To Be Dedicated At Appro-
pirate Ceremonies.

pirate Ceremonies.
Plans for the opening of the en-
larged Washington County Museum
of Fine Arts were announced last
week by the president of the board,
Mrs William T. Hamilton, Jr.
The two new wings being added
to the museum, the gift of Mrs. Anna
Brugh Singer as a memorial to her
late husband, William H. Singer, Jr.,
who died in 1943, will be dedicated
at ceremonies to be held on Tuesday,.
November IS, and Mrs. Singer, who
is a native of Hagerstown, will be
present at the ceremonies, coming
here from her present home in Old
en-, Norway.
The new south wing of the mu-
scum will be known as the Singer
Memorial Gallery, and it will have
the distinction of housing the most
extensive collections of Singer paint
AiSS III lllG WOIlu 11lSSG paintings
will be shown at a memorial ex-
hibition in Holland in January 1850,
and Immediately following they will
be shipped to Hagerstown and hung
in the new south wing.
The north wing is designed pri-
marily as music room, complete
with stage and accommodations for
an audience of 200. It will be used
for chamber music concerts, recitals
and lectures. Mrs. Singer, herself
a fine musician, is presenting the
museum with a Steinway Concert
Grand Piano. This wing will also
double as a picture gallery.
Functional features include sliding
screens for storage of paintings when
not on exhibition, packing room
with modern equipment, freight ele-
Yator, kitchenette, comfortable rest
rooms. An enlarged studio for art
classes, Photographic darkroom for
developing AMI slide making, ex-
banded staff quarters and library
are numbered among the improve
ments.
The Washington County Museum
Of Fine Arts, which has contributed
much to the educational and cultural
development of Hagerstown, and
has spread the fame of the city as
an art center, was a gift to Wash
ington County and the City of Ha-
gerstown by Mr.. and Mrs. Singer in
1881. The gift, the fulfllment of
Mrs. Singers desire to build a mon
ument to her distinguished husband
in her native city, included not Just
the beautiful building, but also a
fine collection of art treasures. In
the course of the years, additional
gifts from Mrs. Singer and other
sources have augmented the collec-
ton.
DR.. Richard Craft, director of the
museum, enthusiastic about the ia
cilities soon to be made available,
said, "The expansion of the museum
means an enlargement of our pro-
gram, and will provide us with tools
for increased services, enlarged area
for exhibitions, and greater all
around museum resources.
The museums program of special
activities includes art classes for
children and adults under Mr..
Thomas Danaher; story hours for
children and an integrated program
in cooperation with schools, with
Miss Mary A. Harter, assistant to
the director, in charge; lectures on
art, and periodic exhibits.
Members of the board of trustees
of the museum are: Mrs. William T.
Hamilton, Jr., president; Henry Hol-
zapfel, vice president; Robert H. Nc
Cauley, treasurer; DR.. John R. Craft,
secretary; Mrs. William Preston
Lane, Thomas w. Pangborn, L. Vim
ton Hershey, Claude Potterfeld, NJ
P. Moller, Jr., Lynn K. Brugh, Jr.,
and R. Samuel Dillon, Jr.
William T. Hamilton, Jr., is an
honorary member, and Mayor Her
man L. Mills, I. Keller Shank, pres
ident of the Board of County Com
missioners; and William M. British,
superintendent of schools, are ex-
oficio members.