To the Editor: Protect the Ronald School and Shoreline Historical Museum

The school levy and bond election is a month away and there has been virtually no education about it and its importance to the preservation of the old Ronald School Building and the future of the Shoreline Historical Museum housed there. There are apparently three parts to this special election. The levy part would maintain current taxation and services. The bond part would fund the complete rebuilding of our two high schools. And the third part would be for technical things like computers in classrooms. Of particular concern to me is the bond that would finance a rebuild and rearrangement of the Shorewood High School campus in a way that would compromise the Museum to its detriment and eventual demise.

With all the people who want to save the museum and its building why hasn't this issue been brought to the public? Are we going to lose it by default?

Renovation of the old school house has cost well over one $1 million. The building has Landmark status. Still it is obvious that the School Board does not want to save it, a one-of-a-kind asset to any high school, by the way! What other school can boast of having a museum on its campus?

I have been to School Board meetings and an open house on the matter in the latter part of 2009. I have asked questions, as have others, but the School Board's answers leave much to be desired in specificity as to the future of either the Ronald School Building or the Museum. From most interpretations it sounds as though the Museum doesn't fit into their plans and what will really happen if the bond is passed is that they will "honor" it by eventually tearing it down. What a "great" lesson that would be for students everywhere, and what a loss for the rest of us.

Vicki Westberg
Shoreline