The site of the 1938 Wellesley High School offered ample space in a wetland location with room for future expansion so Wellesley would never have to build another high school from scratch again. Pile driving ensured a stable foundation for a solid state-of-the-art concrete structure that retains its soundness and integrity to this day. A unified appearance and vertical emphasis were the hallmarks of its impressive exterior. Its description by the1938 Building Committee read:

“Outside, the simple modern design is carried out in a pleasing shade of red brick trimmed with Indiana limestone. The only ornament appears below the window openings in a simple design showing primitive symbols for the sun, lightening, and clouds that suggest the forces of nature which the building must withstand.”

A flexible and functional layout has permitted, as we all know, several additions to the 1938 building. Its west end, where the original gym is located, remains intact. The east end of the building, where the present library and music rooms are located, has undergone substantial change. We would do well to consider a renovation of the Wilbury Crockett Library with its Frank Lloyd Wright setting at the edge of the wooded area. Imaginative design could expand and refine the modern features of this space and bring it into architectural balance with the 1938 building. An appropriate solution to the unsatisfactory adjacent 1978 stairwell would be one that eases movement from one floor to another and at the same time provides ready access. As we plan for the future, it is prudent to restore and preserve the original 1938 building and to renovate towards a harmonious result - - a state-of-the-art high school.

Next week: Stockholm in Wellesley