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	BOSTON LATIN - HOW THEY DID IT (The Wellesley Townsman – 01/25/07) Boston Latin – How they did it How important are the cultural history, institutional memory, and identity of a school to alumni, students, teachers, and community members? The Wellesley High School Preservation Committee found out recently when it visited Boston Latin School and saw the restoration and improvements made to this historically significant early 20th century (1922) school. Established in 1635 as the nation’s first public school, Boston Latin School is one of the city’s premier educational institutions. An assistant headmaster and a Boston Latin student led us on our tour of the school. We also had the opportunity to speak with the headmaster. Alumni, faculty, architects, and others had joined with administrators to form a consensus group that guided the award-winning restoration project to completion in 2000. We saw that the Boston Latin School integrates the old with the new in a creative and architecturally imaginative way. It has become a school for the 21st century, promoting its tradition of educational excellence. As we walked the corridors, we were able to make comparisons between Boston Latin School and the 1938 Wellesley High School. The quality of materials and workmanship was evident throughout all parts of the building, including classrooms, corridors, office space, and the larger areas, as is the case in the 1938 Wellesley High School building. And like our school, the Boston Latin School has withstood the test of time. At the heart of the original Boston Latin School is the auditorium, which has served generations of students and, with recent upgrades and improvements, remains the hallmark of the school. Its oak paneled walls, classic lighting, and original seating and stage are impressive as they link the past to the present in a functional and elegant manner. A new addition has provided a black box performing arts theater, adjacent to a large choral and instrumental practice facility that accommodates program needs. Our student guide, who has been involved in dramatic productions, said that the new facilities are working well for students and faculty alike as a complement to the original auditorium. From the initial planning phase of this performing arts venue, a principal goal was the preservation of the original auditorium as part of a vision for a 21st century school. This auditorium is the pride of the Boston Latin School, as our auditorium is the pride of Wellesley High School. We learned that foresight and open dialogue in the decision-making process for Boston Latin School’s restoration enabled all interested parties to achieve a successful integration of needs, values, and perspectives. At the same time, we were struck by the contrasting approach the Wellesley School Committee adopted when they selected Concept “C” in November 2006. (See The Wellesley Townsman, December 7, 2006.) This concept calls for dismantling the 1938 Wellesley High School auditorium and lobby in order to accommodate a library that would be used to replace the attractive and functional 1978 Wilbury Crockett Library, which is slated for demolition in that option. This ill-conceived approach is being pursued, despite the following statement by Simms Maini McKee Associates (SMMA), the architects currently under contract for the high school project: “AUDITORIUM _ Beautiful space needs sound system upgrade, storage space, and accessibility upgrades” (Wellesley High School Planning Alternatives Study, submitted on September 20, 2005). At Boston Latin School, we were also impressed by a recently built gymnasium adjacent to the original 1922 gymnasium, which itself continues to be used extensively. The main office and guidance suites remain in the same places they have always occupied. Improvements have been made to lighting, windows, and doors throughout the building. Heating and plumbing have been brought up to standard, and accommodations have been provided to make all parts of the building accessible to people with disabilities. Again, we saw a marked contrast with the approach selected by the Wellesley School Committee. Under Concept “C,” the administrative offices on the first floor of the 1938 high school would be dismantled and relocated in a space now occupied by the locker rooms situated below the 1938 gymnasium. This gymnasium is constantly used for school and town-wide athletic and recreational activities, but is itself earmarked in Concept “C” for conversion to other uses. The success of the Boston Latin School project of 2000 was realized by consensus. Members of their school building committee envisioned that their requirements for a 21st century school could be achieved through preserving their original building. Boston Latin School continues to go forward, assured that its mission as an educational institution is being fulfilled under optimal conditions. The success of the Wellesley High School project also requires consensus. The Wellesley High School Preservation Committee advocates the formation of an expanded Wellesley High School Building Committee. This committee would be fully representative of the town and provide the needed transparency and openness in the decision-making process for a public project of this magnitude. Only through achieving a true consensus on a town-wide basis can we ensure that the mission of Wellesley High School as an educational institution will be accomplished, and through the preservation and restoration of the original 1938 high school, that our 21st century Wellesley High School will provide optimal conditions for learning with its identity intact. Next week: Preservation Q&A III

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