Grace Hall and Endangered Historic Sites List

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Caryl Roskie Lemanski (the daughter of Todd School Coach Tony Roskie, referenced in The Stranger), has applied for Grace Hall to be listed on Landmarks Illinois's Ten Most Endangered Sites list for 2009. In the past, this listing has gotten widespread publicity across the state and nation within the preservation community and mainstream media. We need your help in supporting this application because demonstrated public concern is crucial to the application.

See http://www.landmarks.org/ten_most.htm for the 2008 list.

Send your thoughts to Landmarks Illinois.
http://www.landmarks.org/contact_us.htm

Thank you.

Kathleen Spaltro

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Sent to me today by Allen Stebbins, Chair of Woodstock's Historic Preservation Commission
After meeting with architects from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency about moving and preserving Grace Hall, the interested developer is unable to make the project work to his financial benefit. He is withdrawing his interest to pursue this project any further. Efforts are being made to place Grace Hall on Landmark Illinois' 2009 Ten Most Endangered Sites List in the hope someone or some organization may step forward to prevent its imminent demolition in April.

Kathleen Spaltro

[Glenn Anders]

Dear Kathleen: I have just sent an Email to the Preservation Society, and I hope that every loyal Wellesnetter or interested party will do likewise.

Thank you for your important advocacy in this cause.

To my mind, you represent American Democracy at its best, and I'm sure Orson Welles would concur.

Glenn Anders

[tonyw]

I've also sent an email.

Thank you for these efforts.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Woodstock City Council will meet on 21 April 2009 to decide the fate of Grace Hall. Some options include demolition and adaptive reuse.

Please let City Council members and the Mayor know of your strong interest in preserving Grace Hall as a remnant of the Todd School for Boys that Orson Welles cherished until his dying day.

Go to this webpage for email addresses for the Mayor and City Council members.

http://www.woodstock-il.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={76E59A3F-7525-4E6E-A5B7-C743E7420128}

[Joshua]

I've sent an email as well. It's ridiculous that a campaign like this needs to be waged, but thank you for your efforts Kathleen.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Thanks to you and to all other members of WellesNet who have made their views known. You will never know how very helpful your emails have been.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

From Website of McHenry County, IL newspaper, the Northwest Herald:
Story:
Grace Hall’s fate remains unclear[*]

WOODSTOCK – Grace Hall gained another reprieve from the wrecking ball Tuesday night, but the historically significant structure’s fate remained uncertain.

For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://nwherald.com/articles/2009/04/22 ... /index.xml

Your emails most certainly must have played a part in persuading City Council members to consider the building's historic value. Please keep your vigilant eye on this issue as events unfold. Thank you.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

The 21 July Woodstock City Council meeting is probably the crucial one at which the council members will vote for or against demolishing Grace Hall, where Welles lived, studied, and worked as a student at the Todd School for Boys that he always credited as the most important and lifelong influence on his creativity.

Please let your views on the importance of preserving this Prairie School building as an historic site be known to the Major and City Council members before 21 July.

Email addresses for the Mayor and Council members appear on the following webpage ("City Council" link).

http://www.woodstock-il.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={76E59A3F-7525-4E6E-A5B7-C743E7420128}

Welles's "Chimes at Midnight," as well as previous stage adaptations of Shakespeare's English history cycle, has its origins in his attempts to produce such an adaptation at Todd School when he was a student. This is only one example of the importance of this school to the career of Orson Welles.

Your letters have played a vital part in the campaign to preserve this building. Thank you.

Kathleen Spaltro

[tonyw]

I've just posted this on davekehr.com and will post on other sites.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Thank you, Tony, for your help.

Kathy

[Glenn Anders]

Dear Kathleen: I have just sent the following Email to Mayor Sager and the Council:

Dear Mayor Sager: Please add my name, once again, to those who urge you and your council to save and preserve Grace Hall where Orson Welles and other distinguished graduates of Woodstock's Todd School achieved unique educations that carried them on to phenomenal careers.

Within a few months now, Welles, in particular, will be in the news all over the World. Make sure that your decision brings honor to you and good publicity to Woodstock.

Respectfully,

Alex Fraser -- Glenn Anders -- Macresarf1
San Francisco, California

*****
I trust other members of Wellesnet will be sending similar messages. Thank you for being indefatigable, there on the ground in Woodstock.

Glenn

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Thanks, Glenn, very much for your faithful advocacy.

Kathy

[Alfred Willmore]

Glenn,

You've revealed your real name.

At last, we know you are . . . Macresarf1

[Store Hadji]

His tartan must really clash with mine. Did your forebears support Charles I, Glenn? Mine got beheaded or banished for backing Cromwell.