OUR FIRST CHURCH BUILDING --- AND A LEAKY ROOF
My wife, Harriet Shealy, was on the building committee for our
first unit. When prints were reviewed, it was apparent that all
of the building beyond the nave would have a flat roof. Harriet,
who is observant of such things, protested that the flat roof
would leak. The committee included duPont and Hercules
engineers, who dismissed her protests. “A properly designed flat
roof, such as this one, will not leak.” After all, what did a
woman know about such matters? The building went up, flat roof
and all, the rains came, and the engineers brought 5 gallon
buckets to catch the drips. The roof was repaired and leaked -again, and again, and again. Finally, as the church building was
expanded, the flat roof was replaced with a peaked roof. To
paraphrase, “Never underestimate the insights of a woman.”
- Otis Shealy