James Betelle, Where Are You?

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 [...]

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The following article by JOB appeared in the May, 1932 issue of “Architecture” (Volume LXV, No. 5, Charles Scribner’s Sons). In it, he waxes philosophic about the current and future trends in school design. Early on it reads a bit surly, as he diplomatically defends against the rising cost of school construction, but then settles [...]

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The following article by Betelle appeared in the April, 1919 edition of The American School Board Journal. Much of it reads as somewhat repetitive and obvious, but given ASBJ was directed at educators, not architects, the simplistic overview of concepts is understandable. Where JOB does get more specific is in explaining the benefits of the [...]

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The following article by JOB appeared in The American School Board Journal, January, 1926. In it, he outlines the unique structure of the SO/M school system, accompanied by photographs and floorplans of the four initial grade schools. His description is rather understated, considering how huge the project was; the district had essentially planned to build, [...]

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The December, 1931 issue of The Architectural Forum featured the article, Nine Senior High School Buildings. Two Guilbert & Betelle projects were illustrated; Great Neck High School and The Bronxville School). The text and illustrations for The Bronxville School are shown here.

Interestingly, this school was a collaboration with the architect Harry Leslie Walker, who had [...]

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