Grace Hall and Endangered Historic Sites List

[Glenn Anders]

Yes, Alfred, I'm letting it all hang out there, as they used to say.

Terry, you have me confused. Cromwell won the English Civil War (1642-1649), and it was he who beheaded Charles I, and pillaged Catholic enclaves in England, Scotland, Ireland. He formed the Commonwealth (a virtual dictatorship), which lasted until 1660, a year or two following his death. And so, if your family were banished and beheaded for supporting Cromwell, it would either have been during the Civil War, or by Charles II, when the Stuarts restored the monarchy after 1660.

That whole period was a cat's breakfast. My people come from Pettie, near Nairn, and as far as I know were always Protestants, and so, Terry, would probably have stood neutral or with your people.

Who were your people?

Glenn

[Terry]

Yes, Charles II was the dude.

I descended from Guthries, and our former family castle is now "A Truly Romantic Scottish Castle Wedding Reception Venue." Pass the airsickness bag, please.

One my uncles stayed there before it was sold in the 80s. He was not happy about it being purchased by a "Texas oil baron."

http://www.guthriecastle.com/

[Glenn Anders]

So we may see, Terry.

I suppose the only solace is that Guthrie Castle, like so many beautiful old aristocratic structures in Great Britain, had no heir willing or capable of keeping it up upon the death of Colonel Ivan Guthrie. At least, the American millionaire, Pena, had enough love of the place to actually live on the premises for a period of time.

The Castle's problem is not so different from that of Grace Hall. Speaking in scale, both properties have become victims of changing attitudes and reversals of fortune.

Thank you, Terry, for providing the URL.

The Castle's four square tower reminds me of one of the castles featured in Billy Wilder's criminally underrated THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, but so far as I can determine, the structure I'm thinking of is actually URQUHART CASTLE.

In any case, I hope the City Council of Woodstock, Il., cast a kind eye on Welles' first castle, last evening.

Glenn

[AngeloColombus]

I live just east of Woodstock and will go to the July 21st council meeting and express my views that Grace Hall should be saved and preserved. I think there should be a reminder of Orson's time in Woodstock and the inpact it made in his life.

[Terry]

So we may see, Terry.

I suppose the only solace is that Guthrie Castle, like so many beautiful old aristocratic structures in Great Britain, had no heir willing or capable of keeping it up upon the death of Colonel Ivan Guthrie. At least, the American millionaire, Pena, had enough love of the place to actually live on the premises for a period of time.

The Castle's problem is not so different from that of Grace Hall. Speaking in scale, both properties have become victims of changing attitudes and reversals of fortune.

Thank you, Terry, for providing the URL.

The Castle's four square tower reminds me of one of the castles featured in Billy Wilder's criminally underrated THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, but so far as I can determine, the structure I'm thinking of is actually URQUHART CASTLE.

In any case, I hope the City Council of Woodstock, Il., cast a kind eye on Welles' first castle, last evening.

Glenn

I think it was Rosemary who was the last Lady of the Castle, though I don't know her reasons for selling it. Perhaps her property taxes were even more outrageous than mine.

I doubt Woodstock can do much with a tourist attraction for where Hollywood's Youngest Has-Been, who did nothing but make sherry commercials after 1942, first hatched the idea for a Shakespeare film that no one on the planet can exhibit and few would ever care about seeing. Too bad MJ didn't invent the moonwalk there.

A monument to No Commercial Potential? We've already got one of those by the name of The Rust Belt and no one wants to visit it despite the free admission.

[Glenn Anders]

Dear me, Terry, I seldom find you in such a dark mood.

You sound here like a Middle Westerner. I am, myself, and my old friends from Ohio lament on just how dire things are there after eight years of Bush, and 30 years of Supply Side Economics.

Still, it's the principle of the thing, which Scots and Midwesterners have often stood for. Grace Hall is an important site in the history of education, not just in the life of Orson Welles, but I would not be quite so dismissive of the importance of Welles' life and career as a whole. He may not have been "The Greatest Entertainer of All Time," as some hyperbolics have proclaimed recently in their grief about another talent who peaked early; however, he continued to turn out works steadily for forty years after his golden heyday.

I would hope that the good people of Woodstock and their representatives will recognize that fact, even in the bleak economic times most of us live.

Glenn

[Terry]

I guess that was just sarcasm. The true depths of my bitterness are too deep and vile for any human being to deal with.

GM's slide into oblivion began under Roger Smith during the Reagan years, and I was working in Detroit when a series of actions by the Clinton administration soured the local economy. It's continued to spiral down the toilet ever since then, despite the best attempts by Jennifer Granholm to lamprey onto every photo op and cable news invitation she can lay her talons on as she positions herself for a Federal Judgeship. Perhaps the new Government Motors will build cars that run on hot air, and Congress can pass a law fining any American who does not want to buy one $1,000 a head.

Welles? He soldiered on like Quixote, and I admire him for never giving up the fight.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Dear Mr. Mayor and City Council Members:

The 21 July Woodstock City Council meeting, as you know, is probably the crucial one at which the council members will vote for or against demolishing Grace Hall, where Orson 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.

Welles's 1966 film 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. Think of it: one of the greatest film adaptations of Shakespeare had its genesis in Woodstock, Illinois.

With inspired educator Roger Hill's Todd School for Boys, Woodstock touched greatness, as evidenced by the international fame of two Todd School alumni, Welles and Robert Wilson, who participated in the Manhattan Project and founded Fermilab. Grace Hall not only embodies the greatness of Hill's educational approach, but it physically stands as a splendid example of Prairie School architecture.


Please remember that the city's Plan Commission rejected demolition of this historic site with an unanimous vote and that the city's Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend landmark status for Grace Hall. Please take into consideration the viable option of adaptive reuse, as proposed by Landmarks Illinois.


The demolition of Grace Hall would remove from our horizon an unique and irreplaceable artifact of Woodstock history. It would impoverish Woodstock, not enhance it. A vote against demolition is a vote for a future Woodstock enriched by its past.



Sincerely,


Kathleen Spaltro, Ph.D.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

Tonight Woodstock City Council approved 5-1 the request by the owner to proceed with the special use permit that necessitates the demolition of Grace Hall as soon as the first building permit is issued.

Thank you for all of your efforts to preserve Grace Hall.

Kathleen Spaltro

[ToddBaesen]

Thank you Kathleen for all your efforts to try against all the odds to preserve Grace Hall.

Unfortunately, I don't vote in Woodstock, but I'd certainly like to see the removal of office from the Woodstock city council members who are such hypocrites that they could suddenly vote for demolition.

Didn't they all say they were "against" demolition previously?

I image they have all already received their special thank you "bonuses" from the site developer!

[Glenn Anders]

My regrets and thanks, too, Kathleen.

"Downstate" is tough on heritage as opposed to commerce anywhere in the Midwest, as an old Ohioan like me knows.

And these propositions are going to be tough everywhere in the next decade because we have a "Wall Street Deal" rather than a "New Deal" in our present debacle. No more meaningful contrast could be made between 1929 and 2009.

I'm certain that Woodstock will live to rue their act. People tend to, after it's too late.

Glenn

[Alan Brody]

Just like that song, "Don't know what you've got- till it's go-o-one...". I think I'll download that. This really is a shame, though. Someone should at least take a camera to the inside of it before it gets torn down. It'll probably have to be quick, though: one gets the feeling that the church is probably pretty eager to get rid of it ASAP.

Downstate" is tough on heritage...

Recessions are pretty tough on heritage as well. The church perhaps also wants to get rid of it before the economy picks back up.

[tonyw]

Kathleen,

My deepest regrets.

This is nothing less than cultural vandalism for reasons that Glenn and others have cogently stated.

[RayKelly]

Can you put a price tag on preserving history? You betcha! In this case it is $160,000. This is from the July 22, 2009 Northwest Herald:

Although most of those in favor of saving the building focused on reusing Grace Hall, officials from Woodstock Christian Life Services said such an option was not economically viable. Transforming Grace Hall into two senior condos would have cost about $150,000 to $160,000 more than the construction of one duplex – about $75,000 more a unit.

Moving the building also would be expensive, about $462,000. Also, an adjacent property would have to be bought, which would increase the total cost to about $600,000.

Mark Gummerson, attorney for Woodstock Christian Life Services, said those who support saving Grace Hall had no problem “sitting back and criticizing” their efforts, but never put “their money where their mouth is.”

“The attitude has been, ‘You go ahead and assume the costs and the risks because we think it’s a novel idea,’ ” Gummerson said.

[Kathleen Spaltro]

As you may remember, I was one of several people who fought the demolition of Grace Hall, where Orson Welles lived, studied, and pursued his creative endeavors as a student of the Todd School for Boys. Now that the demolition will occur (I'm not sure exactly when), I am trying to find out if Welles enthusiasts would be interested in buying bricks from this Welles-associated building. My suggestion to the building owner and the demolition company is that the price of each brick should cover shipping and handling, as well as contribute to a fund to memorialize Welles's time in Woodstock, Illinois. (This included not only his student days in the late Twenties, but also his activities during many later visits to his mentor, headmaster Roger Hill--among others, the Todd Theatre Festival of 1934, the filming of "Hearts of Age" in Woodstock that year, and the 1934 publication by the Todd Press of "Everybody's Shakespeare" by Roger Hill and Orson Welles.)

Is there any interest in purchasing bricks with the purpose of contributing to a fund to memorialize Welles in Woodstock?

Kathleen Spaltro