The Dr. Jacob Bird Meeting Room is an octagon. Why that shape is an often asked question. Many Quaker meeting houses were octagons, as were traditional African meeting huts. Perhaps the reason is an octagon has no corners, no front and back. Like a circle there is an element of equality, where everyone is welcome. Dr. Bird was a real country doctor who delivered babies, made house calls, set broken bones, took out your appendix and —founded Montgomery General Hospital.