• Large handsome windows span the height of the building. The small panes add a colonial scale along with modern round trim. Each vertical window is separated from the next by a simple design. Replacement of the windows with thermally efficient panes would retain this architectural feature.
  
• High ceilings and grand spaces characterize the original architecture. Many ceilings were lowered in the 1992 renovation, thereby reducing the natural light in the building. Restoration of open, naturally lighted space would lend the high school a modern ambiance as it simultaneously fulfills the intent of its original design.
  
• The tower as the centerpiece of the school needs restoration. This special feature of the building, visible from many places in town, was executed in the style of the times, and today stands as a symbol of the high school and its educational mission.
  
• Many other intrinsic details, including sculptured stonework, interior woodwork, doors, and trim, plus slate window sills throughout the building, should be carefully evaluated with a view towards restoring them to their original impressiveness.

All of these features are characteristic of a classic New England educational institution.
If we as a community value our 1938 building as a school that is historically significant and serviceable, then we need to support its preservation and restoration. The Massachusetts School Building Authority grants reimbursement to communities for renovating existing historic schools. As a matter of fact, the Massachusetts Historical Commission is included in the reimbursement process. Preservation can often be cost effective. We should look into this opportunity more carefully and make it part of our renovation plans. We should not wait until it’s too late.