DECEMBER 2014
THE
HIGHLAND
VOLUME LXIV, ISSUE 3
FLING out with the old, in with the new The old sign (Right), though stately, had begun to show its age; it was replaced by the new electronic sign (Left), a recent source of conversation among staff and students.
A Tale of Two Signs Becca Chant
T
he familiar yet formidable Highland Park High School stands symmetrically on the corner of Montgomery and North Fifth, a respected and admired building completed in 1926. The stately red-brick-wings welcome students like arms out-stretched, as they trudge up the stone walkway to classes each morning. Often, their eyes are drawn to look up at the dignified Albadome, the centerpiece of the school, and perhaps, even the town. Almost 90 years after the completion of the school, the building now shares its tree-shaded front lawn with a young whippersnapper: a modern, electric and flashy digital sign. Initially, this sign may have shocked students and staff; however this contemporary addition to the campus has been long in the making. Many remember the old sign, a simple, classic manually-changed one donated to the school by the class of 1991, held up by two brick columns that were unfortunately beginning to crumble. However, the heavy plexi-glass protecting the text within had to be lifted by pole, posing a threat to maintenance staff charged with changing the message.
INSIDE
9 years ago Principal Lassiter-- at the time, Vice Principal of the High School-- was tasked with finding a new sign for the front of the school. Like many issues in Highland Park and small communities everywhere, lack of funding prevented the project from completion. A few years later, physical education teacher Tom Sclafani introduced his volleyball tournament fundraisers to the school, meant as fundraisers for the new sign. With the assistance of Superintendent Soto, Mr. Sclafani was able to bargain with Stewart Signs, the sign company, and reduced the price of the sign to $7,000. After installation, the overall cost of the sign totaled to $10,000, all funded by the Sclafani-organized Volleyball Tournaments.
Like many changes, the new sign has been met with approval as well as concerns. Some students have expressed that the sign clashes with the classic, elegant structure of the high school. Luckily, Mr. Soto and Mr. Lassiter have both expressed a desire to improve its overall appearance, and address the concerns of the student body and local community. During the environmental club’s “Vampire Week” to promote awareness of energy efficiency in the school, the sign received a “V” for wasting energy. Thankfully, the sign is powered by LED lights, only contributing slightly over 400 watts (joules per second) of electricity, equivalent to and additional $30 a month to the school’s electrical bill. This does not include the energy impact of the spotlight that continuously shines on the electronic sign at night. However this light is not controlled by the school and is the town’s responsibility to shut off. Perhaps one of the most urgent issues surrounding the sign pertains to the amount of light pollution it causes, as well as the time it is on. The sign utilizes “photocells”, a constant feature of the sign that dims the brightness of the sign proportional to the level of daylight. According to Stewart Signs, the sign should decrease its brightness by 50% at night, and also save energy by requiring less power while in this mode. Many would argue that the sign is still too bright at night, as junior Amita Shukla admits she had “to buy thicker curtains for my room because the sign was so bright and would flash in my bedroom”. A possible cause for the continuous brightness of the sign would be the spotlight shining on the sign from the opposite telephone pole, which may inhibit the photocells from functioning by simulating daylight. Supposedly, the sign is on a timer that turns it off at 10 p.m. and turns it on at 6 a.m. However, several
residents have reported that the sign has been on before 6 a.m. and after 10 p.m., a problem that is concerning and distracting to residents but hopefully easily fixed. The sign also frequently flashes the date and time. Senior Christopher Michael tells the Fling that, “I was driving home from rehearsal at around 10 o’clock when the sign flashed and startled me because it was very bright, like the headlights of an oncoming car.” However, since the incident, the new electric sign has ceased to display the flashy numbers. Currently, it displays the names of all-division athletes from Highland Park High School. Though criticicized for its incongruous modern look, the sign contributes to the school’s desire to highlight its high-achieving student body’s “Openness, Wisdom, Leadership, and Spirit (OWLS),” which is an endeavor to be celebrated. Additonally, the new sign can display more complicated graphics, including images of the school’s mascot, which the old sign could not. Resentful sentiments towards the new sign are understandable. Luckily for the students, a solution to the sharp appearance of the sign is quite feasible, perhaps even solvable with simple bushes - suggested by guidance secretary Julia Dewhirst to, “soften the edges”. The issues surrounding light pollution could be easily fixed, as the sign has all the capabilities to minimize light pollution if the spotlight is shut off and the timer is set properly. The sign is here to stay, but the concerns circulating this modern addition to Highland Park’s elegant front lawn are not. With attention and consideration to the residents in the neighborhood, and time and stylistic energy towards the appearance of the sign, the high school’s campus will hopefully retain the respect and admiration it deserves by addressing current concerns with sign, but also embracing it as a fixture here to stay.
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