RURAL COMMUNITY BUILDINGS. 29 
ship as a unit, through a common building designed to serve for large 
public gatherings, such as farmers' institutes, union church services, 
high-school entertainments, and for township offices. 
The financing of a township building was recently made practicable 
by a special act of the Kansas State Legislature permitting townships 
to vote bonds for the construction of such buildings to the amount 
of $5,000.* 
The library association, the farmers' institute, and the schools had 
formerly worked for a social-center building, but without success. In 
compliance with the provisions of the new law a petition was placed 
before the township board, signed by 25 per cent of the voters, re- 
questing that the bond question be submitted to vote. As a result, 
a building was erected in 1916 by the township board, at a cost of 
$6,809, including $1,809 from general funds. 
The total cost may be itemized as follows: 
Land $500 
Building: 
Materials $2, 589 
Labor 1, 920 
4, 509 
Furnishings 1, 800 
Total outlay 6, 809 
The chief maintenance expenses are those connected with light, 
heat, and repairs. There is no regular janitor, and the building is 
cared for largely by the organizations using it. Expenses are met 
chiefly by rentals, which are $3 per night for each entertainment. 
The building is 50 by 90 feet and is made of brick, with a cement 
foundation, and with metal ceilings and plastered walls inside. 
The largest room is the auditorium with 600 chairs on a floor which 
has an incline of about 1 inch to the foot. It-is furnished with a 
piano and is lighted by six 150-candlepower lamps and four 100- 
candlepower lamps. 
At the front of the auditorium is a stage 20 by 24 feet, with an 
opening 12 feet high. The stage has five drop curtains, six wing 
curtains, and a curtain for moving pictures. At either side of the 
stage is a dressing room 8 by 10 feet. At the rear of the auditorium 
is a gallery 12 by 48 feet, seating 175 people. Underneath the gal- 
lery are the library room and the township officials' room, separated 
by an entrance hall leading from the front door to the auditorium. 
The library is 15 by 17 feet and is furnished with chairs, writing 
desks, and magazine tables, and with bookcases containing 600 volumes. 
The officials' room is 15 by 20 feet and contains office furniture, 
the township records, a safe, a stove, and a telephone. In this room 
also is a ticket window, from which tickets to the various entertain- 
ments are sold. 
1 See Laws (State of Kansas), chapter 118, section 95G0, as amended by chapter 332, Laws of 1911. 
