James Betelle, Where Are You?

The Search for a Lost Architect

James Betelle, Where Are You? header image 1

I heartily recommend Mr. James O. Betelle of the firm of Guilbert & Betelle. He is a genial man, easy to work with, and considerate of the needs and pocketbook of his clients. — Pierre S. du Pont, Hagley Museum and Library

Columbia High School: Birth of a Building

September 9th, 2006 · 8 Comments · Architecture

I’m used to seeing old photographs of schools when they were new and pristine, set against the barren terrain that is indicative of fresh construction. And as my recent tour of Newark showed, it makes for an interesting contrast with contemporary images, where the landscape is overgrown and the school itself may be in various [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:···

“The Unusual School System of a Suburban Community”

August 29th, 2006 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

This article is from the 1928-1929 Yearbook of The American School and University. Much of the text is similar to the CHS article from American School Board Journal, which came out about the same time. It’s interesting to note that Betelle refers to “Messrs. Guilbert & Betelle, the architects for all these new buildings”, as [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:····

Columbia High School in The Encyclopædia Britannica

August 2nd, 2006 · No Comments · Articles

Guilbert and Betelle are represented in the 14th Edition of The Encyclopædia Britannica (1929, vol. 20; SARS to SORC), under the heading School Architecture. It’s a one-paragraph blurb describing Columbia High School, accompanied by the first floor plan (which incorrectly places CHS in South Orange; the building is in Maplewood):
“The Columbia high school, South Orange [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:···

“Columbia High School, South Orange and Maplewood, N.J.”

July 18th, 2006 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

James Betelle wrote many articles for educational journals of the day, most notably The American School Board Journal. This one is a brief look at the major features of Columbia High School, which opened its doors in 1927. The article was published in the January, 1928 issue of ASBJ.
COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTH ORANGE AND [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:····