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VaoSprSgic Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
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149-11 Melbourne Avenue. Flushing, NY 11367
Construction flaws force move to old site by Natalka Palczynski ·· Attention all Harrisites and staff members: start Editors: Natalka h packing because moving day comes Palczynski, Beth around once again Citron, Hope this September for Villella, Lauren Townsend Harris Sharett, Beth High. That's rightMattucci, Jennifer a private contractPare, Amy ing agency hired by Kommatas, Erika the Board of EducaZwetkow, George tion has declared Motakis and that the building Romina Perrone. must undergo exI tensive reconstruction to remedy problems left by the :1 School ConstrucWriters: Sean tion Authority McGinley, Kate (SCA), particularly Rube, Karen uninsulated pipes. Parado, Dominika The agency, Bednarska and Conartist and Sons, Zara Ziff . were contacted by Allcalm Lossman, Assistant Principal of Organization, after an uninsulated pipe burst in FebruI ary, · flooding the gym. (See February issue of The Clash sic.) The :aoard of Education gave Townsend Harris Artwork by the authority to Melissa Tineo choose the agency it deemed most caPhotography pable to investigate by Erika Zwetkow the condition of the building. The Board of Education gave the 1 1 school this privilege "because those bureaucrats [at the Board of Education] messed up I-. royally and didn't Advisor: want us to troublelisa Cowen shoot," said Felipe Jonos, physics Principal: teacher. Mr. Malcolm Lossman chose Largmann Conartists and Sons based on the company's motto, :·we redo what they did wrong!" "The yellow
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pages has everything," Mr. Lossman said. Conartist and Sons estimates the construction will take anywhere from one to 10 years. Although the gym floor will be replaced by the middle of May, the real reconstruction lies in insulating the outside pipes that are in danger of burst-
Mathematics. "You won't see painted staircases [in these old buildings], that's for sure." Many options were explored as to where Harrisites should dwell during the reconstruction. "We couldn't go back to Parsons because that's occupied by Robert F. Kennedy High School and frankly,
the move, the majority of students will be looking forward to the three-story building with most classes on the first floor. "It'll be nice not trekking up the six flights any more," he said. As far as seniors are concerned, their college classes will still be at Queens College, but it will be arranged so that they have . at least two hours between their college classes and high school classes to provide for travel time. "That should be more than enough time for students to get where they have to be. We realize it's inconvenient, but certain sacrifices need to be made for a _good education," MS . Wof'iYer
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"Oh my God! I guess it's too late to transfer [to another high school], right?" said Whym Ihere who will be a senior next year, just in time for the move. There are only · two bathrooms for Horne to Harrisites earlier this century, the 23rd Street building will once again house Townsend Harris. each sex in the entire Lexington Ave building, but stu:ra dents are already ing which would cause ·more flooding there weren't any vacancies at any of the prepared to deal with this, due to bath- · 'inns' in Queens," said Sheeza Worner, room limitations presently enforced. and internal plumbing damages. In fact~ the relocation will be hard"We have dismantle the existing Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel pipes and more or less build a five inch Services. "[Moving to Manhattan] was est for the administration, it seems. "I'll thick blanket around all the ones out- our only alternative and we thought that miss the PA system," Mr. Lossman said side," said Jeffrey Conartist, principal the nostalgia of a Townsend Harris that mournfully. "I had my own office," said contractor. "We can't be sure when the once was and is again would be inspira- college advisor Manequin Buyer with tears in her eyes. Also, Dr. Largeman work will be finished, and we definitely tional for the students." Principal Makeme Largeman was too was last seen by his secretary clutching can't start until we receive our $30 milupset to comment on any of the events. his desk screaming, "Please don't take lion deposit from the Board of Ed." So where will Townsend Harris go His secretary, Betcha Seena, stated that it away from me! It's oak!" Most teachers feel the commute will until the Melbourne Avenue building is he refuses to talk to anyone and just fixed? Ironically enough, back to a lo- sulks in his office. "I can hear him sob- be the same and since they've worked under crowded conditions before, they cation Townsend Harris occupied dur- bing sometimes," she said. "I brought him a glass of lemonade can do it again. "It doesn't matter that ing its golden years in the early 1900s. Located on 23 Street and Lexington- and asked him to remember the encour- this building doesn't have a gym . You Avenue in Manhattan, this ancient aging words he told us only a short don't need a wood floor to be physically brownstone still stands in marvelous while ago ["When you're given lemons, fit, and as far as team sports are conmake lemonade"], but he threw the glass cerned, we're working something out condition. ·"When they built these bad boys in across .the room and screamed unintel- with NYU downtown to use their facilities," said Dean and Physical Education the early part of this century, they didn't ligible words," Mr. Lassman said. The 23 Street building will be a tight teacher Wanda Fish. "Get ready for the have the technology we have now, but they came out a heck of a lot better," fit, but according to Alvin Dweebster, stairs, kids, and a couple of runs around said Fairly Ratty, Assistant Principal of one of the first students to find out about Manhattan."
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