Work continued on Winfield Community Building

WINFIELD — Following the purchase of the Winfield Theater from the Pratt brothers the Winfield Community Center Board proceeded to raise the money needed to remodel the building. Volunteers were recruited to begin the transformation. Dr. R.B. Widmer, Chairman of the Board soon put out a call for help.

By November 1957 the first floor of the Community Building was nearly completed and being used for dances and meetings that included a grade party for students sponsored by the PTA, the 4-C Circle Club’s Christmas party and the School Board election, drawing many favorable comments and leaving no doubt about the need for a community building.

However, there was still much work to be done in the basement and more money was needed to do that. People were urged to pay many unpaid pledges so work on the building could be completed by the volunteers during the slack farm season.

In February 1958, members of the Winfield Community Center, Inc. met to discuss the possibility of the proposal to turn over the Community Building to the Town of Winfield and Scott Township Trustees. Thirty percent of the outstanding memberships, or 107 memberships were required for a quorum.

At a later meeting the membership holders of the Winfield Community Center decided to go ahead with their original plans and finance the completion of the Community building on their own. It was estimated a minimum of $5,000 was needed to complete their project. Before the meeting was over those in attendance pledged or donated $800 toward their goal.

Interest in the movies still being shown in the building began to wane. Bob Lindell, President of the Chamber of Commerce, encouraged adults to attend the Wednesday night movies as well as the youth who made up most of the attendance. Admission was 10 cents for children and 25 cents for adults. The last movie for the summer (and perhaps was the last movie shown there) was Iroquois Tral.

Dances were a popular form of entertainment and notices advertising an upcoming dance regularly appeared in the Beacon. Sometimes the music was supplied by a local band and other times with records shared by the attendees. Occasionally a well-known personality would be booked for a special night of entertainment.

In November 1958 Harris Hop, a WOC TV personality, along with his wife Peg presented a program of Rock & Roll recorded music along with a variety of dancing games, contests, and novelty stunts for teenagers. Admission was 50 cents for ages 13-19 and 25 cents for parents and children who wanted to be spectators.

Donations were given by various clubs and individuals. The local Veterans and Auxilia purchase a large display flag to be placed in the building with a due ceremony soon.

Use of the building continued to increase. The Chamber met to make plans for a three-day Harvest Festival, the firemen sponsored a dance, and the building was also the site for the VFW and Rebekah Past Noble Grand Luncheon. In January 1959 Square Dance lessons were offered at the cost of 50 cents per lesson for students and $1 per couple for a series of 10 lessons. The fee was to be paid in advance.

While the community building was already able to accommodate many area events upstairs there was still work to be done in the basement. To complete remodeling of the building the need to raise more money and to continue to recruit volunteers were the Board’s top priorities. They were anxious to complete remodeling of the building.

Read of their continued work to complete this goal in following articles. To paraphrase a popular quote, “It took a Village.”