Comments on: Columbia High School: Birth of a Building http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/ The Search for a Lost Architect Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:31:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-2/#comment-690 John Fri, 28 Jan 2011 23:41:45 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-690 SRWallace - Does your father remember the pipe organ? -John SRWallace – Does your father remember the pipe organ? -John

]]> By: Steve Weintraub http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-689 Steve Weintraub Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:56:25 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-689 I don't know much about the pool itself, but it was a major feature of the school, and I believe at the time considered an advanced feature for a public school. So in that sense, perhaps it was "state of the art". The Gaustavino ceiling is testament to that, certainly. Nice shot here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweintraub/3071468864/ I don’t know much about the pool itself, but it was a major feature of the school, and I believe at the time considered an advanced feature for a public school. So in that sense, perhaps it was “state of the art”.

The Gaustavino ceiling is testament to that, certainly. Nice shot here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweintraub/3071468864/

]]> By: S R Wallace http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-688 S R Wallace Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:33:22 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-688 Thank you - maybe my father was making the point that Columbia had a "state of the art" indoor pool when we were watching the movie, and I assumed he was referring to the retracting floor. I know that he and I both share the same disappointment in the decline of US public schools. At the time he went to Columbia I believe both the school and it's campus were considered to be one of the country's finest. Many thanks for your help. Thank you – maybe my father was making the point that Columbia had a “state of the art” indoor pool when we were watching the movie, and I assumed he was referring to the retracting floor. I know that he and I both share the same disappointment in the decline of US public schools. At the time he went to Columbia I believe both the school and it’s campus were considered to be one of the country’s finest. Many thanks for your help.

]]> By: Steve Weintraub http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-687 Steve Weintraub Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:55:29 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-687 Nope, not true. It's a standard pool. Nope, not true. It’s a standard pool.

]]> By: S R Wallace http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-686 S R Wallace Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:51:09 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-686 Hi- my parents both graduated from Columbia HS - I think '48 and '49. My dad says the swimming pool was like the one in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" where the floor opened to reveal the pool beneath. Has anyone heard of this or seen photos? Hi- my parents both graduated from Columbia HS – I think ’48 and ’49. My dad says the swimming pool was like the one in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” where the floor opened to reveal the pool beneath. Has anyone heard of this or seen photos?

]]> By: Scott Sharo http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-670 Scott Sharo Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:26:36 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-670 She taught Spanish and Latin at CHS and both middle schools so unless you took those elective courses it's unlikely that you would. I'm really glad to have stumbled upon your site here. I've always been quite fascinated by the history of Maplewood/South Orange and especially Columbia. You've got quite a wealth of information about it, even the entry of the floorplan in the Encyclopedia Brittanica and the John Marshall school in LA. Do you have any more information about Columbia or the town history that's not here on the site? She taught Spanish and Latin at CHS and both middle schools so unless you took those elective courses it’s unlikely that you would.

I’m really glad to have stumbled upon your site here. I’ve always been quite fascinated by the history of Maplewood/South Orange and especially Columbia. You’ve got quite a wealth of information about it, even the entry of the floorplan in the Encyclopedia Brittanica and the John Marshall school in LA. Do you have any more information about Columbia or the town history that’s not here on the site?

]]> By: Steve Weintraub http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-669 Steve Weintraub Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:11:19 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-669 My mother was also a long time teacher in the district. She taught art, and finished out her last ten years or so at CHS (she left before your time). I don't recall yours though, sorry. Back in the day I explored the catwalks under the roof, but alas never made it under the stage, which was a rite of passage for stage crew members. My mother was also a long time teacher in the district. She taught art, and finished out her last ten years or so at CHS (she left before your time). I don’t recall yours though, sorry.

Back in the day I explored the catwalks under the roof, but alas never made it under the stage, which was a rite of passage for stage crew members.

]]> By: Scott Sharo http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-668 Scott Sharo Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:00:11 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-668 Steve- You know I hadn't seen that page yet when I wrote the response and was actually going to say that if you were still looking for a tour of the tower Alan Levin would be the one to give it to you! My mother was a teacher in the district for over 30 years, many of them were spent at Columbia. She retired in 2003 but was a colleague of Mr. Levin's and he was actually my physics teacher while I attended. I believe he said then that the telescope was in need of some servicing in order to be usable again but that may have been done since. I do, however, recall that one of the times I climbed the tower was for the "egg drop" experiement in his physics class. Have you tried to explore other parts of Columbia? It's really quite an amazing building. There is a sub-basement of sorts underneath the auditorium and the swimming pool that has an almost 'catacombs' type feel to it. It's where the plumbing for the pool is located and some of the servicing for the ventilation to the auditorium. Steve-

You know I hadn’t seen that page yet when I wrote the response and was actually going to say that if you were still looking for a tour of the tower Alan Levin would be the one to give it to you!

My mother was a teacher in the district for over 30 years, many of them were spent at Columbia. She retired in 2003 but was a colleague of Mr. Levin’s and he was actually my physics teacher while I attended.

I believe he said then that the telescope was in need of some servicing in order to be usable again but that may have been done since. I do, however, recall that one of the times I climbed the tower was for the “egg drop” experiement in his physics class.

Have you tried to explore other parts of Columbia? It’s really quite an amazing building. There is a sub-basement of sorts underneath the auditorium and the swimming pool that has an almost ‘catacombs’ type feel to it. It’s where the plumbing for the pool is located and some of the servicing for the ventilation to the auditorium.

]]> By: Steve Weintraub http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-667 Steve Weintraub Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:52:47 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-667 Scott- The observatory is still very much in use. Also, that empty space was originally the male teacher's lounge. See http://jamesbetelle.com/2008/04/10/a-climb-up-columbias-clock-tower/ Scott-
The observatory is still very much in use. Also, that empty space was originally the male teacher’s lounge. See http://jamesbetelle.com/2008/04/10/a-climb-up-columbias-clock-tower/

]]> By: Scott Sharo http://jamesbetelle.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/comment-page-1/#comment-666 Scott Sharo Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:15:55 +0000 http://jamesbetelle.wordpress.com/2006/09/09/columbia-high-school-birth-of-a-building/#comment-666 Steve- This is some great information you have here. I attended CHS in the mid-90s and I'm very fascinated by this. The picture you have in the above link is actually where the B-Wing joins the original structure. The B-Wing is the addition that runs alongside Academy Street. The D-Wing is the most hideous appendage in my opinion and is the one that extends lengthwise from the front fascade of the building out towards Valley Street. There is a small faculty lot in front of it. I was in the tower a few times while I attended school there and as most have said there isn much, except at the top. On the way up I recall only one room above the third floor level (where the rest of the original structure stops rising). It was a large room and most likely the one that a few have said they had homeroom in. It hadn't been used in quite some time and was very dirty/dusty and mostly empty except for a few pieces of worn old living room furniture. I'm not sure where that may have come from or when it would have been put there. Above that you would walk past the clockworks which haven't been functional for awhile and then up to the observatory. There was a swivel mounted telescope that was meant to look at the stars when the copper roof was cranked open. Neither appeared to have been used for years and it's possible the roof had been sealed to avoid leaks. Steve-

This is some great information you have here. I attended CHS in the mid-90s and I’m very fascinated by this. The picture you have in the above link is actually where the B-Wing joins the original structure. The B-Wing is the addition that runs alongside Academy Street. The D-Wing is the most hideous appendage in my opinion and is the one that extends lengthwise from the front fascade of the building out towards Valley Street. There is a small faculty lot in front of it.

I was in the tower a few times while I attended school there and as most have said there isn much, except at the top. On the way up I recall only one room above the third floor level (where the rest of the original structure stops rising). It was a large room and most likely the one that a few have said they had homeroom in. It hadn’t been used in quite some time and was very dirty/dusty and mostly empty except for a few pieces of worn old living room furniture. I’m not sure where that may have come from or when it would have been put there. Above that you would walk past the clockworks which haven’t been functional for awhile and then up to the observatory. There was a swivel mounted telescope that was meant to look at the stars when the copper roof was cranked open. Neither appeared to have been used for years and it’s possible the roof had been sealed to avoid leaks.

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