A local blog has now focused on this subject, which deserves more attention.

www.woodstockadvocate.com

This is the comment I just posted on the blog, subject to the blogger's approval:

Roger Hill, teacher and then headmaster at Todd School, provided the most important influence on Welles's creativity throughout Welles's life. Even as a middleaged man, Welles said that he thought about Roger Hill every day.

Hill also educated many other young men (and some young women) by following the philosophy that giving responsibility and power to students motivates them to display responsibility and develop creativity. Given both responsibility and power, expected to attain a professional standard, Todd students were not subordinates but, instead, collaborators in their own education.

Roger Hill deserves wider appreciation of his accomplishment as an innovative educator of many young men, including Welles and Robert Wilson, the founder of Fermilab. As editor of the catalog "Todd: A
Community Devoted to Boys and their Interests," produced by the senior class in 1930-31, Welles explained, “The uniqueness of the
school lies in the fact that boys do things here instead of just being told about them.” Anyone who has ever hoped for more creativity and effectiveness in education would be fascinated by Roger Hill's achievements at the Todd School for Boys. His example should not be lost to time but preserved for emulation.

Thank you for that quote, Kathleen! Where did you find this book?

I believe I found it because the Woodstock Public Library in its vertical file on Todd School or Orson Welles has a photocopy of the catalog that Welles edited in 1930-1931.

I'll bet the Lilly would love to get their hands on it, if the book itself still exists. Even if it's just a photocopy, it would be a wonderful addition.

I checked my notes from when I looked at the Woodstock Public Library's pamphlet files on 19 May 2006. At that time, "Todd: A Community Devoted to Boys and Their Interests," was in one of two Todd School folders. My memory is that it was a photocopy. It's possible that others who own Todd School memorabilia might have an original copy.

Contact:

Maggie Crane
Library Director
Woodstock Public Library
414 W. Judd
Woodstock, IL 60098
(815) 338-0542
maggiec@woodstockil.info

Kathleen Spaltrp

There's Welles's own personal copy at the Lilly Library in perfect condition. If I remember correctly it's in the Research Files under "T" for "Todd School".

Today's Woodstock Independent (p. 3) notes that Woodstock Christian Life Services is resubmitting its proposal (including the demolition of Grace Hall) for consideration by City Council on Tuesday, 7 October, following the Monday, 6 October, consideration by the Historic Preservation Commission of the application by Caryl (Roskie) Lemanski for landmark status for Grace Hall. Both meetings occur at City Hall at 7 p.m. Please keep your eye on this issue.

Last night, the Woodstock City Council unanimously approved the special-use permit requested by Woodstock Christian Life Services, including the portion that would necessitate the demolition of Grace Hall. However, the City Council attached two conditions to this approval. One requires WCLS to work in good faith with those concerned with saving Grace Hall to explore alternatives to demolition. There must be firm evidence of a developed alternative in seven months' time, by the 2nd City Council meeting in April 2009.

So now we must work together to generate ideas, leads, and funds.

I saw and see this as a shared problem amenable only to solutions arrived at by our working together in a congenial way with WCLS.

We greatly appreciate the help that WellesNet members have already given us by emailing the Mayor and City Council and by writing letters to the local newspaper, the "Woodstock Independent." I hope to structure some online network of concerned persons in and outside Woodstock in order to generate ideas, leads, and funds. When I do so, if you would participate, you will only add to my store of gratitude to you.

This is just a reminder that the Woodstock Historic Preservation Commission will convene to hear Caryl Roskie Lemanski's petition for local landmark status on Monday, 10 November, at City Hall at 7 p.m. I understand that local landmark status gives more protection to a structure than either Illinois or federal landmark status.