the War From Our Own Correspondent, Chefoo, Jan. 5.
The contract for the building of the Memorial Hall to be erected in memory of the 31 Old Boys of the China Inland Mission Schools who laid down their lives in the Great War was' signed this afternoon. The estimate accepted is that of Wang Tong-cheng, a local building firm which erected some of finest residential dwellings and business houses and recently completed the -reconstruction of the Bund. The committee were fortunate in securing, through the courtesy of the Mission Executive in Shanghai, the services of Mr. D. de B, Robertson, an architect recently arrived from Great Britain, and at his suggestion it was decided to recommend for the site the ground between the Chinese Chapel and the Preparatory School. Mr. Robertson later submitted three schemes, one of which was unanimously selected.
The new hall will be about 41 ft. by 55 ft. inside. It will be built of Bluff stone, the frontage being faced with marble chips and concrete. The windows are to be fitted with steel frames and provision is to be made for three entrances. A small cellar for storage purposes has been provided for. The vestry attached will be 18 ft. by 14 ft." This will be placed on the west side of the hall and will be used for the smaller gatherings of the compound staff The hall will hold 500. It has been so designed, however, that this will constitute an emergency number and at the ordinary children's services and lectures, when the numbers do not run to so many, the hall will not appear half empty.
The contract price is $8,788, In addition to this amount, the committee have to provide for the purchasing of Portland cement, steel frame windows, asphaltum, ironmongery, paint and varnish and no allowance has been made for the furnishing, but a handsome clock has been presented in memory of the late Miss E. A. Fisshe of the 'Girls' School, also money} for the purchase of an harmonium, and a platform chair, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. E. Murray, who for more than 25 years were members of the school staff.
It is expected that the laying of the foundations will be commenced in March, but much dependy upon the weather. The contractor has-promised that the hall will be completed ready for the holding of the annual exhibitions of the schools, which take place-about the third week in July. Mr. P. Olesen is tol undertake on behalf of the committee the supervision of the building operations,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.