| In the Great War over in Europe, 355 soldiers from Worcester were killed in battle. On November 18, 1918, a week after the Armistice was signed, a commission was set up to plan construction for a grand memorial to honor the dead troops and the city of their birth. Worcester was growing and needed an entertainment venue. The ground wasn’t broken and cornerstone laid until 1932, but there was a long argument in City Hall between well known citizens of Worcester like Stoddard, Jeppson, Whittall, and Higgins as to where to put this memorial. The site was privately purchased and was given to the city under a condition that construction start within a year or the gift was forfeited. Worcester’s latest contribution to all of the soldiers for their service in the war is the imposing new Municipal Memorial Auditorium at the corner of Highland and Salisbury Streets. The estimated cost of the building is $2,200,000 ( 1934 $) and it is the finest in central Massachusetts. It’s built of Indiana limestone with trimmings of polished granite and the only metal on the exterior of the building, besides the nine bronze doors, is the tops of the four light stands which are placed between the doors of the front entrance and on each side. The auditorium includes a large and small hall which can combine to seat 4,700 people This sizable room fills a long-felt need in the city. Highland Street and Institute Road has openings for automobile entrances and a driveway going straight through the building to regulate traffic. With very fancy exercises in September 1933, this building of simple design was dedicated to honor the service of all the soldiers in the war As the late Chief Justice Arthur P. Rugg put into words and later was cut into the side of the building “To honor the services in war of her sons and daughters and to nourish in peace their spirits of sacrifice, a grateful city erected this building.” Before the present, Worcester Memorial Auditorium there had a capacity of 3,508 and had a stage that was 116 foot long. The Auditorium was used for entertainment, welcome home ceremonies for local soldiers, and graduations. Famous people also performed in the auditorium such as Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield, and Fr. Ralph DiOrio. In October 1933, the 74th Worcester Festival was held in the Worcester Memorial Auditorium for the first time. A highlight of the program was playing of “Dedicace” a sonata written especially for the new Kimball organ. In the Worcester Memorial Auditorium the organ is the property of the public. It was built by the city for its citizens. Many of the citizens viewed it as an outstanding example of such instruments on the East Coast. The organ is huge, it has 6,719 pipes that reach 32 feet in height; the console has 186 knobs and has 58 adjustable combinations. Because of the organs size it could only be moved into current buildings like the Centrum, Showcase Cinema, Union Station, and the Palladium. It could cost as much as $2 million dollars to move the organ and set it up. Today we use The Worcester Memorial Auditorium as a Courthouse to process juveniles. Construction workers ripped it apart and made it into court rooms and cells for the Juveniles. The ceiling of the court rooms are below the balconies, and the second floor used for probate court, family information, and for the technology department. Pierce Gould said the only thing they wouldn’t be touched in the auditorium is the hall that is dedicated to the school children in the city. Juvenile Court Chief Justice Martha Grace was not satisfied with the 27,000 square feet of space in the basement that was to be the temporary home of the Juvenile Court. The lease with the city is still good until July 2004. The discussions are under way the for another agreement that allows the county to build out 38,000 square feet from the first floor and the basement. Thomas Hoover, the city manager, said “that it would call for expanding the whole building even the ceiling and a floor over the balconies that are part of the current auditorium”. |
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