Pennsylvania's historic schools are often perceived as the most important buildings within a community. They are valued as forms of public architecture, local landmarks, and civic anchors, as well as for the significance of their role in educating generations. Many were exceptionally well built. What efforts might a community group undertake to preserve a school?
The first step is to organize preservation and neighborhood advocates and create a united front demonstrating that the school is an important feature to the community and should be maintained and reused. Another step is to inventory local schools to identify buildings that might be potentially eligible to the National Register, documenting important history or architecture elements.
A third step is to share information about the historic school with parent-teacher associations, district officials, members of the school board, citizen activists, and the local or county historical society. What can you do? Volunteer to serve on the school board or facilities committee so that there is a preservation voice on a decision-making body. Be sure that all issues are considered in new school construction, especially those with which there might be hidden costs such as land acquisition, site development, roadway and utility extensions, and transportation costs. There may be other costs such as fire and police services in addition to the potential of diminished property values near abandoned schools. Be sure that informed individuals carefully evaluate all sides of the debate carefully.
If it's unreasonable for the school to continue in its current operation, local officials may choose to advocate a new use as an administrative office, magnet school, alternative school, teacher resource center, or some other appropriate use. There are numerous uses for a retired school building. Some schools retain their community character as day-care centers, community centers, museums, or historical societies. Historic school buildings can be successfully converted into housing, office suites for private enterprise, or municipal government. Consider the many options other than demolition.
Learn more at:
See Preserving Pennsylvania, Volume 12, Number 1, to read a special report on Endangered Schools compiled by Preservation Pennsylvania in 1998 for their annual Pennsylvania at Risk list. The report includes specific recommendations made to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for changing the Basic Education Circular on school construction reimbursement criteria. As a result of Preservation Pennsylvania's advocacy efforts, recommendations made to PDE were resolved. Please visit PDE's website to review how the Basic Education Circulars (Purdon's Statutes) were modified in 2004.
National Trust for Historic Preservation Model Policies for Preserving Historic Schools (PDF) by Katherine Stevenson.
