The Chapel
The new Main Building was opened on September 29, 1902. On the second floor at the back of the Main Building was a large chapel, which included the Grand Circle. Sunshine streamed through the beautiful stained-glass lancet windows, illuminating the chapel and its long curtains. The front stage was slightly smaller than it is today, with only steps leading up to it. The chapel originally had 282 opera chairs.
After many years, the opera chairs were replaced with wooden folding chairs arranged in rows. A few spotlights were also added to provide better lighting for performances and shows.
Closed off from the Grand Circle, an addition was built between the Main Building and Girls’ Side in 1963. The addition provided an extra 600 square feet of space on each floor, from the basement through to the third floor. One-third of the space was used as an additional room for the apartment, while the remaining space was used for storage.
In 1969, the auditorium renovation project was completed in December. The high ceiling was lowered, and 294 new seats replaced the old ones. The walls were repainted, new carpeting was installed, and new draperies and stage curtains were added. Steps were also installed on both sides of the stage.
In 1999, the Auditorium was remodeled and newly renovated with the addition of three screens, a multimedia podium, and other high-technology systems. The Grand Circle was restored, along with the addition of a control room.
Those memories of the Auditorium were shaped by generations of students through worship services in earlier years, movie screenings, holiday performances, dramas and plays, special guest speakers, faculty meetings, graduation and award ceremonies, and May Day performances.
There were three especially significant events in the history of the Chapel and Auditorium:
- In 1896, Elizabeth, the daughter of Dr. William Burt, was married in the Chapel before more than 200 guests.
- Audrain Kukleski, a teacher who graduated from WPSD in 1948, departed WPSD following her marriage to Lester Graham. Their wedding ceremony was held in the school Auditorium on December 30, 1978.
- During the 1985 commencement, 58 students graduated, making it the largest graduating class in WPSD history at that time.
