Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1920 [PAGE 243]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1919]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

239

of Music because of the presence of the pipe organ. Director Erb informs me that the School of Music can make use of it in general for all the time that the necessities of the high school will permit. He informs me that there is only one pipe organ available for practise and instruction and that one is quite inadequate. They could use the organ in the following ways; a. b. c. For instruction, six or eight times a week; For practise by students for all the time that we could allow them; For junior and senior music recitals to the number of about twelve a semester;

d. For public recitals of students, once every two weeks. These recitals are now held in the old chapel in University Hall, which, he informs me, is not at all satisfactory for the purpose. Even after the pipe organ is installed in the new music building, the School of Music will have use for an auditorium that is smaller than the very large one in the music building. (These statements are correct.

J. LAWRENCE E R B )

It would be seen, therefore, that constant use could be made of this auditorium for one purpose or another. In order to make the auditorium suitable for high-school purposes few initial changes will be necessary. The most important of these is the modification of the pulpit space so as to provided a platform capable of accommodating speakers, occasional choruses, etc. This would involve the moving of the keyboard of the organ and the extension of the platform to the outer railing. Tn addition, in the course of time, the carpet will become dirty and must be removed but we can very well use it for a year. The pews will be satisfactory for assembly purposes until such time as it seems advisable to change them. If the basement is used for a girls' gymnasium, there would need to be some additional changes made in it, but these would not involve a very large expenditure of money and we may possibly be able to make other arrangements by which the girls of the high school can get necessary physical attention without using the basement. In making this recommendation we have not taken up with the architect, who is out of the city, the question of the structure of the building and it is possible that it may be weak in its architectural construction. Respectfully submitted,

W. W. CHARTERS JOHN A. STEVENSON B. R. BUCKINGHAM

No action was taken in this matter.