On Sunday afternoon my brother, Grace and I took my Mother to visit her old High School. They are tearing it down and held an open house for graduates and the community. In it's time, it was a state of the art palace of education. Even as far back as MY High School era, 1970-74, is was a great building which housed a power house in football and basketball. Not that I am still smarting over a few losses or anything...um...where was I? Ah, yes. Time and neglect have been hard on the old girl but you can still see what a beauty she once was. Marble floors, stunning tile work on the floors and walls, great woodwork...what a shame that no one was able to see to it that Roosevelt, and so many other buldings of historical and architectural value, are saved. It seems easier and more cost effective to tear down and begin anew, but at what cost?
We had a great time seeing it all and watching Mom enjoy the tour, especially when she was chatting with others from her era. Mom graduated in 1945 and, although she did not meet up with anyone she knew from those years, there were several people from earlier classes and some from not long after. They all had some of the same recollections.
2 comments:
i LOVE old buildings like this one...it kills me since here in Mostly Smoggy So. Cal, we never keep anything old, we're always destroying our jewels to build a new condo project, or parking lot or Wal-Mart..
I agree Valerie. WE are doing the same thing here. NO one cares enough to fight for history. : ( They will spend millions to erect something new but will not save anything with architectural brilliance, history or sentiment.
They will probaly put up a Wal Mart here too...
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