SIGN LEASES FOR NEW 4TH WARD THEATER -- The leases for the new "Varsity" theatre to be built in Fourth Ward this summer were signed Saturday by A.L. Champlin, owner of the building site, and officials of the Ames Theatre Company.  The signing of the final papers insures the construction of the show house before 1939.  Under the present plans the building will be erected at 2410 Lincoln Way instead of at 2418 as was originally thought.

Designed by Wetherell and Harrison, the architects who supervised the construction of the "Collegian," the "Varsity" will complete the building program announced by the Ames Theatre Company in 1933.  Approximately the size of the "Capitol" theatre downtown, the new house will seat about 600 persons and cost about $45,000.  It will be equipped with modern projection equipment, talking picture reproducing sets and air conditioning.  The 2-story semi-modern front will be inlayed with vitrolite glass, and all seats will be on the ground floor.

"Due to the increase in summer school enrollment and the growing population of the Fourth Ward, this house will be operated 12 months of the year," Gerbrach asserted last fall when the original plans were being drafted.  The architects will have the final plans and specifications ready for bidders immediately, and construction will start at the close of the present school year.  The theatre will be opened about Sept. 20.

NEW VARSITY THEATRE WILL OPEN TUESDAY -- With the opening of the new Varsity theatre in the fourth ward, at 2418 Lincoln way, the city of Ames will have four outstanding motion picture houses newly built or completely rebuilt for sound pictures.  The opening of the Varsity marks the fourth step in the Ames Theatre company's five-year building program which was announced in 1932, and which already has included rebuilding of the New Ames and the Capitol and construction of the new Collegian, opened a year ago.  The fifth step will be the modernization of the New Ames.

The new house, constructed at a cost of about $45,000 for ground, building and equipment, will seat 600 persons.  It is as modern in every detail as the Collegian, except that it is built on a smaller scale, and its sound equipment has several features developed since the Collegian was opened.  Its newer type reproducers have a wider range and a more natural tone.  The sound equipment is Western Electric's Mirrophonic, the projectors are Simplex.  The high intensity lamps with Bausch and Lomb lenses and silver screen tend to reduce eyestrain and distortion to the minimum.

Doors of the new theatre will open at 6:15 Tuesday evening and the first performance will start at 6:30 p.m., with Alice Faye and Don Ameche in "You Can't Have Everything" and "The Higgins Family."  Thereafter, the performances will start at 7 p.m.  Each program will include one "request" feature and one first run feature.  Programs at the Varsity Sunday and Monday will move to the Capitol Tuesday and Wednesday, those shown at the Varsity Tuesday and Wednesday will move to the Capitol Thursday and Friday, but those at the Varsity Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be shown there only.

The theatre will be open every night 12 months of the year and for matinees on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.  The schedule of popular prices will be 10 cents for children and 21 cents for adults.

The theatre has been built by A.L. Champlin, fourth ward businessman for more than 30 years, and leased on long terms by the theatre company.

The general contractor was the Kucharo Construction company, Des Moines; electrical work, Best Electric company, Ames; plumbing, Palmer Plumbing company, Ames; air conditioning, C.W. Stipp company, Des Moines, C.E. Keller has been superintendent for the Kucharo company, and Lawrence Prusiner, Iowa State college graduate, has been in charge of the air conditioning installation.  Seats were purchased from the American Seating company, Grand Rapids, Mich.  The architects of the building were Wetherell and Harrison of Des Moines, designers also of the Collegian.

The front of the new theatre is constructed of special glazed blocks, the canopy is in five colors, including the word VARSITY in powder green neon, a new variety just on the market.  The ticket booth is luxuriously draped in the newest tones of wood rose and dusty mauve.  Draperies of stage, proscenium, foyer and lobby are in emerald green and silver.  The proscenium is freely designed in the new trend with dashes of emerald, cardinal and beige.  Walls are in beige and cocoa, the ceiling in a modernistic tone of blue.

Off the foyer are the ladies' powder room and the men's smoking room.  The second floor includes the projection booth, complicated air conditioning apparatus and office.  The basement is used for supplies and advertising equipment.

The Varsity will be directed from the company's central offices in the Collegian theatre building.

STREAMLINED ILLUMINATION FOR VARSITY -- The lobby of the new Varsity theatre opening here Tuesday night is given a graceful streamlined appearance by two long fixtures of rather simple design reaching from wall to wall on either side of the room.  The bright chrome trim and glass curved construction give the fixtures a very lovely appearance.  The light from these fixtures is softly diffused but sufficiently bright to create a pleasing atmosphere.

The foyer ceiling is decorated with a large triangular fixture of a strikingly modern design.  The outstanding features of this fixture are the large glass panel in the bottom, and the unusual combination of metal and glass.

The decorative scheme of the auditorium features the six wall brackets, which are of metal louvred construction, the newest idea in theatre lighting.  The louvres serve to refract the light from the colored lamps so that the fixtures give a soft, colorful glow, which is enhanced by the well-designed trim of bright chrome.  These fixtures are not overly ornate, but their beauty is derived from the harmonizing blend of colors.

VARSITY IS OPENED HERE -- Modernistic architecture, air-conditioning, and advanced type of seating are the most prominent features of the new Varsity theatre, opened here in Ames Tuesday.

Color plays an important part in the new structure.  The ticket booth, hung with rich draperies, is in brown and bone white.  The draperies for the stage are emerald-green and silver.  The foyer and lobby are also in the same colors.  Throughout, the theatre is modernistic to the nth degree.  Lighting is of the latest type, with louvred fixtures much in evidence.  The fixtures serve to refract the light so that a soft, colorful glow is given off.  This harmonizes well with the bright chrome trim.  However, the fixtures are not overly ornate, but their beauty is derived from the harmony of the color scheme.

Air conditioning plays an important part in the fitting of the theatre.  Clean, fresh air is continuously being circulated in the theatre.  In summer, the air is cooled and dehumidified.  In winter, the air is tempered and heated after being cleaned.  A specially designed duct system is used for circulation.

Special attention has been paid to seats.  The company who installed them were the ones who fitted Radio City Music Hall, New York, with its seats.  They are specially designed for comfort and better sight.

The exterior appearance is in harmony with the interior.  Both are modernistic.  The theatre canopy is resplendent with neon.  In all, there are five different colors of neon used on this structure.

The management of the new theatre feel that they have provided Ames with one of the best houses in the state.  And for their new show place they have arranged extraordinary bookings.

The decorative scheme of the auditorium features the six wall brackets, which are of metal louvred construction, the newest idea in theatre lighting.  The louvres serve to refract the light from the colored lamps so that the fixtures give a soft, colorful glow, which is enhanced by the well-designed trim of bright chrome.  These fixtures are not overly ornate, but their beauty is derived from the harmonizing blend of colors.

All the decorating has been planned and completed with the same effect -- beige and cocoa for the walls; and blue of a most modernistic hue for the ceiling.  In fact, all the furnishings and colors are to be found only in theatres such as the Varsity.

Let us drink a toast to the Varsity; and it, in turn, dedicates itself to the people of Ames, and its neighbors, as well as to the college life of Iowa State.