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Show 1897-98 Branch Normal School has it's beginnings in Cedar's Ward Hall orchestras played between scenes. The foregoing information was from an Alumni Hook and from the writing of Khoda M. Wood, courtesy of the Southern Utah State College Special Collection. 4- A correction. In the first story prepared in this series in recognition of Cedar City's 124th Anniversary in November an error was made on the location of the Social Hall. It was built toward the back of the lot between bet-ween the Armory and the Fire Station. Andrew Hanson's lot, where the Library was later built and still later the State Bank of Southern Utah went to the middle of the block and the Hansen corrals would have been located where the Bank parking lot is now. began to give way making the building useless. The Ward Hall was condemned in September of nineteen years after construction. con-struction. It was used for a few more years as the Kast Ward Meeting place and was then torn down to make way for the Armory Ar-mory Building. Of the local and traveling opera companies who played on the Ward Hall Stage perhaps Ralph Clonniger's Company is the best remembered. Local people were used in small parts and the John Parry or .1. L. Jones Prepared by Zella Mallieson A series of feature stories to niiiiiiiemorate the 121th Anniversary An-niversary of Cedar Cily As Cedar City grew available building space was needed. The Social Hall had served the people well but became inadequate. The Tabernacle was being built and was in use but for church purposes pur-poses only. The people loved drama, music and dancing and in the middle UiiHi's a need for a building for these functions was loll Once again the citizens pitched in, giving donated labor and what money they could. The loundation was in and two or three feet of brick work when John Parry, first Representative from Iron County to the State Legislature, received the telegram that stated that Cedar had been chosen tor a branch of the University of Utah and that a suitable building must be ready by mid September for the opening of school. The decision on the location of the school was made in May ItiliT and to erect a building on Academy Hill and have it ready in September was impossible for achievement. The Ward Hall was the answer. Brick, lumber and other building material had been assembled, so the work on the building could continue. Spurred by their pride in being so recognized every man and boy offered his service and the work was pushed forward. The University of Utah agreed to accept the Ward Hall as a temporary building but it was a condition of the act that the school was to open in a state building. To meet this condition the Cedar Fcclesiastical Ward deeded the property the Ward Hall was on. where the Armory now stands, to the state. The citizens committee assumed the task of completing the structure, work oil the Ward Hall was furiously driven and was so well organized that the building was practically completed by the opening day of school. Four big classrooms, smelling of wet plaster, housed Hit pupils, 40 girls and 72 boys, under Superintendent Milton Bemiion with Howard R Driggs. Annie Spencer and George W. Decker making up the faculty. The big upstairs hall took care of the assemblies. Our higher institution in-stitution of learning the Branch Normal School had its beginning in Cedar's Ward Hall through the year of 1897-98. Then the building went on to a varied and useful existence. The elementary grades were overflowing the schoolhouse south of it so the basement classrooms were used for the lower grades until the District School was moved to the new Elementary Building on Center and 300 West Streets. The hall was used for dramas, programs, dancing and parties. About 1912 improvement was undertaken in the Ward Hall. The stage at the west end of the hall was removed and a west wing was added to make a big stage adjoining the hall and a hard maple floor was laid making it the best dance floor Cedar could boast of for some time. A good sized gymnasium was built under the stage. This gymnasium gym-nasium wasn't used advantageously ad-vantageously so it was decided that it should be made into an indoor swimming pool. The foundation was reinforced inside and the walls were waterproofed. Good materials were used but the first time the water was turned into the pool the water leaked out. It was waterproofed again and the same leakage occurred. Not only was the new part of the building weakened but the entire building cracked and |