Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

and the program calls for following up the lectures with fire drills for all personnel. In describing the program, Naborvues gave as the highlights of the instructions to managers and their staffs : 1. Be alert — for smoking violations, blocked aisles, people lighting matches to rind dropped articles, burnt out exit lights, live cigarette butts in trash cans, etc., adding that "alertness on the part of a single person can often prevent a tragedy." 2. Be calm in case of fire — calmness on the part of the staff induces a similar attitude in the patrons. 3. Learn the location and use of all emergency fire fighting equipment. 4. Do not delay in calling the fire department, unless it is absolutely certain that the fire can be put out promptly with the theatre's equipment. 5. The manager and staff should remember that he is responsible for the safety of the people in his theatre. Stock Plans Based on Quonset Construction prefabricated units, applied to more or less standardized space and architectural specifications, probably mean most, in terms of benefit to the motion picture business, as a means of making movies easily available to a larger number of small communities, and doing so without resorting to clumsy, makeshift methods. The Quonset hut of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation quite promptly appeared as one possibility in this direction, and now the Ben B. Poblocki & Sons Company of Milwaukee has developed schemes for their general application to theatres of small capacity. Detailed plans are now available from this company for theatres of 325, 435, 550 and 650 seats, including specifications for the front and all of its advertising and ticket sales appurtenances, wiring diagrams, air supply and conditioning layouts, auditorium floor pitches, etc., "so that," according to a communication prepared by the company's designers, "an owner will be able to build these theatres with very little eort and without professional service." Alternate schemes have been drawn up to meet varying climatic and other local conditions. "For instance," the designers explain, "these plans are prepared with heating equipment under the stage or at the rear. Supplementary details are available so that this equipment room can be entirely eliminated and just a screen and loudspeaker platform installed. The heating room, of course, can also be used for airconditioning and other types of equipment in localities where a central heating plant is not required. In case the owner preferred to use package air-conditioning units, again the room could be omitted and the cost of it saved." Among other alternative arrangements for specific conditions are several affecting the floor plan. The designers point out : "In connection with the lobby and foyer end, an alternate layout is provided so that the outer lobby can be eliminated in localities where it is not required. The plan is drafted in such manner that the lobby partition can be installed, if an outer lobby is desired, without changing any other construction. "Another alternate detail will be available so that masonry walls can be installed at both side areas as well as at the rear of the building. The side walls will be from 8 to 10 feet high and will entirely enclose the Quonset structure. "These side enclosing walls can be constructed of corrugated asbestos siding, wood louvre frames or any other suitable material chosen by the owner for sake of better appearance in localities where this is desirable." The report from the Poblocki designers estimates savings "from $5,000 to $20,000, around 25% over the conventional type" of construction. This, of course, would be accounted for partly in materials, and partly in the cost of local labor for erection. Cubage also is low because the buildings would follow the semi-circular form of the Quonset construction, which is advantageous as well with respect to acoustics and air supply and conditioning. In addition to building specifications, de tails are included for such installations as seating, carpeting, mats and all necessary equipment. The plans were developed in accordance with regulations acceptable to leading building code authorities and have been approved for either small town or city use by the Wisconsin State Industrial Commission. TESMA Gets a Trademark directors of the Theatre Equipment and Supply Manufacturers Association, prior to their meeting at the Drake Hotel in Chicago scheduled for April 20th to discuss preparations for the annual convention and trade show at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D. C, September 24-29, have approved an association emblem, one of the purposes of which is to identify members in advertising and on letterheads. Steady growth of the organization is reported by Roy Boomer, secretary, with the following companies being recently added to the membership: Metropolitan Scenic Studios, Omaha — stage equipment ; Mohawk Carpet Mills, Amsterdam, N. Y.; Theatre Specialties, Inc., Los Angeles, changeable letters and attraction panels. CERAMIC TILE TO FACE THE FRONT OF THIS SMALL THEATRE TTdef show t iPcN TUfLStfY tl T H CW £ H R£G i N £vj| m ML*,, e w " Sketch of the front elevation of a 550-seat theatre to be built by Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Walsh in Scottsburg, Ind. The design, by the F & Y Building Service, Columbus, Ohio, calls for front facing in Arketex ceramic tile. Merle Robert Maffit is the architect. 12 BETTER THEATRES, APRIL 5, 1947