James Betelle, Where Are You?

The Search for a Lost Architect

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Guilbert & Betelle are teaching us how we may learn to look away for a time from a too close dependence upon historical styles and to walk alone for a season into a more nearly American style of Architecture. — Rawson W. Haddon, Modern American School Houses

Restored chandeliers installed at Washington Irving Intermediate School

May 31st, 2010 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

Ten beautifully restored chandeliers were recently installed in the auditorium at the Washington Irving Intermediate School of Tarrytown, New York.
The school recently underwent a major renovation which included larger classrooms, an expanded library, a new art room, renovated music rooms, a new nurses station and renovations of the existing offices.
A wonderful restoration job from 2009. [...]

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Columbia’s Auditorium Finally Getting Some TLC?

May 11th, 2010 · No Comments · Architecture

Marcia Worth at Patch, on Columbia High Schools wonderful auditorium that is in desperate need of restoration:
But like an old home that has been lived in for generations, the auditorium is due for some renovation. The South Orange-Maplewood Education Foundation’s fundraiser “A Night on the Towns,” scheduled for Sunday, May 23, has designated the auditorium as [...]

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Something Beautiful

September 16th, 2009 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

The April, 1915 issue of The School-Arts Magazine (“For Those Interested in Drawing & Handicraft”) ran a flowery piece, “Something Beautiful”, extolling the “rhythmic and refined” qualities of the Ridge Street School and Newark Normal School. Preceding the glowing praise are quotes from Ralph Adams Cram, “architect of some of the finest Gothic churches [...]

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Montrose School Gets Patched

September 2nd, 2009 · No Comments · Architecture, Articles

Marcia Worth of Patch, a local community portal, has written a nice piece on Montrose School in South Orange, New Jersey.
“The Montrose school yard boasts what I consider to be the most beautiful birch tree in town. It’s also a fine tree for climbing, according to my neighbor, who indicated a branch far from the ground. [...]

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A Mission in Montclair

May 18th, 2009 · No Comments · Architecture, Diary

“In Southern California, Arizona or New Mexico, where climactic conditions are suitable and the history of the place suggests it, a school of the Mission or Spanish style would be quite appropriate. This style of architecture with its white stucco walls, low pitched tile roofs and southern atmosphere, has been made familiar to the traveling [...]

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