Townsman, March 26, 2009


	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE # 34, The Wellesley Townsman, March 26, 2009 FROM THE WELLESLEY HIGH SCHOOL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE WELLESLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES As most townspeople know, the 1938 Wellesley High School is included in the State Register of Historic Places. The Wellesley Historical Commission in 1987 initiated the process for placing the High School on this Register. This is a comprehensive listing of buildings in the Commonwealth that have received local, state, or national designation based on their historical significance. In addition to this distinction, the Massachusetts Historical Commission is of the opinion that the 1938 Wellesley High School is also eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The inclusion of a building on the National Register of Historic Places attests to community responsibility. It fosters a sense of pride in the past and present by showing an appreciation of civic history and continuity as embodied in town institutions. We are fortunate in Wellesley to have several buildings on the National Register: the Town Hall (1883-1886); the Wellesley Farms Railroad Station (1890); Wellesley’s first high school (1894), now Phillips Park; the Hills Branch Library (1927); the Sprague Tower (1928). It is the responsibility of the Wellesley Historical Commission for overseeing the process for placing a landmark in Wellesley on the National Register. As the Massachusetts Historical Commission has indicated, Wellesley High School is deserving of this recognition. Its architecturally significant design, revolutionary for its day, combines colonial features with modern elements. Its role in nurturing three generations of young people and its endurance as a symbol of the high quality of education that our community values make it a prime candidate for receiving this special honor. A listing of our 1938 High School on the National Register of Historic Places would ensure, first, national recognition for a structure we deem important to Wellesley; second, eligibility for federal funds for restoring areas of the building; and third, preservation of an historic property for continued use by the town. Rather than create restrictions, enrollment of a building on the National Register allows changes to be made while at the same time affording protection for a historic asset. Please visit the Wellesley High School Preservation Committee website at www.savewhs.org for further information and to indicate your support, or e-mail us at whspreservation@yahoo.com. The issue of the 1938 Wellesley High School building may be taken up at the Annual Town Meeting beginning March 30, 2009.


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