The East Hartford Gazette

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John A. Langford emphasizes a strong school building point before a combined meeting of the School Board and the School Building Committee Tuesday night. Committee chairman James M. Fitzgerald Likes Idea For $2.5 Million For Schools; Will Include Senior High

Fitzgerald puffs carefully as Dr. Langford declares an urgent need for a $2.5 million building project including transformation of the Penney Junior-Senior High School into complete high school.

(Al Fedu Photograph)
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John A. Langford has proposed to the School Building Committee that the Penney Junior-Senior High School, presently under part construction, be completed solely as a senior high school with facilities equal to what the present Burnside Avenue high school had upon completion in 1954.

This proposal, made before the combined members of the Board of Education and the School Building Committee Tuesday night, was a complete shift from what the Board of Education had requested two months ago, and startled both Boards into unanimous, though unofficial, approval.

Dr. Langford asked for adoption of a package program which would cost the voters about $2,500,000 for a bond issue in October. Completing the Penney School, with certain additions necessary to qualify it as a complete senior high school, would cost an estimated $1,500,000.

Further proposed is a separate building to house seventh and eighth grade students from the Slye and Goodwin school districts. Along with this, Dr. Langford stuck with his original request for elementary school additions which would amount to about $400,000. The new seventh and eighth grade school would cost half a million dollars.

Dr. Langford insisted that the new senior high school will be "needed by 1963, absolutely necessary by 1964". This school, with grades 9-12, would serve all students in the south end of town, and would reach its 1,800 capacity by 1968.
The superintendent spoke forcefully of his position, saying that this "definitely isn't hindsight". that the Board of Education had recommended 'long ago' that the town purchase more land for another school in the south end.

He said that, over the long pull, his proposals would fit accurately with enrollment and need predictions made in 1959. Originally the board had asked that the Penney School be available by 1959.

"We have lived with this delay," he said, "but we're not complaining. It's nobody's fault. There have been great delays, and now we have reached the point where the need is very pressing. I think it would be very wise to consider this plan carefully before you decide. I think we should change our thinking now. We have a very important time element to consider."

He said that he believes this plan would save about half a million dollars overall, due mainly to the fact that construction of the proposed seventh and eighth grade building can be done much more cheaply than if facilities for these grades were to be included with the higher priced rooms at the Penney High School.

School Building Committee member James J. O'Connor backed Dr. Langford completely, saying that it was a "great credit to Dr. Langford" to consider this new plan, and that it "sounds very practical". "Let's build now and get it over with. Let's arrange for the future."

Committee chairman James M. Fitzgerald remained non-committal, but agreed to meet with architects on the new proposal to come up with actual cost estimates as soon as possible, probably within 10 days.

"You're asking for a two and a half million dollar package," he told Dr. Langford. "That is together with the one million dollars the town is already set to commit itself for redevelopment, plus whatever amount is needed for roads and a firehouse. This means a bond issue of about $4,000,000, and that's as sizeable as the town has ever floated."

He said he didn't know how (Continued On Page 8)