Historical Society to Feature Liberty School
May 10, 2008 |
History
At its annual Awards Dinner on May 21, 2008, the
Englewood Historical Society will present a plaque to
the Englewood Board of Education for its preservation
of the building which serves as its headquarters, now
known as the Russell C. Major Liberty School. The
building, constructed early in the twentieth century,
is considered by the Society to be one of Englewood’s
architectural and historical treasures. It is
adjacent to Englewood’s most historic location,
Liberty Square, as the area around the Monument is
known to historians.
The building and the property on which it stands are now owned by the City of Englewood, as part of an agreement with the Board of Education at the time of the School Bond Referendum in 2004. The Board must vacate the property by 2010, and the City is expected to sell the property in order to pay off indebtedness incurred at the time of the agreement. The Society is endeavoring to build public awareness of the building’s value, and to encourage support for preserving the building exterior in any development on the site. The former Franklin School on Engle Street, now the Renaissance Center, and the former Roosevelt School on Broad Avenue, now condominiums, are previous examples in Englewood of the reuse of former school buildings while retaining their distinctive exteriors.
After the incorporation of Englewood in 1899, Liberty School was the first public building it invested in, making a statement about the new City’s priorities. Begun in 1901 and dedicated on September 6, 1902, the original Jacobethan Revival core of Liberty School was designed by Herbert C. Davis of Davis, McGrath and Kiessling. The additions and alterations to the building, which consist of the northern side section (1913), and the southern side section (1927), designed by noted architect Lawrence Licht, and the more recent one-story bay window projections on the east facade, complement the character of the core, so that the whole building looks symmetrical, coherent, and well-designed. Liberty School has been seen as architecturally significant since its construction. In 1909, it was featured in American Architect, one of the central publications in the field, and in 1981-2, the Bergen County Historic Sites Survey included it as one of the more notable buildings in the County.
In 1999, the building was renamed in honor of Russell C. Major, who had served on the Board of Education for 18 years, longer than anyone else, and was a leading figure in support of quality public education during those years.
In addition to the Liberty School, the Society will also present a plaque to the First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, which had been previously honored in 1994. The Awards Dinner, annually a major community event, is scheduled to start at 6 PM on Wednesday, May 21, at the Double Tree (Hilton) Hotel, just off Route 4 East in Fort Lee. Tickets are $50 and will be available at the door or by telephoning 201-568-9244.
The building and the property on which it stands are now owned by the City of Englewood, as part of an agreement with the Board of Education at the time of the School Bond Referendum in 2004. The Board must vacate the property by 2010, and the City is expected to sell the property in order to pay off indebtedness incurred at the time of the agreement. The Society is endeavoring to build public awareness of the building’s value, and to encourage support for preserving the building exterior in any development on the site. The former Franklin School on Engle Street, now the Renaissance Center, and the former Roosevelt School on Broad Avenue, now condominiums, are previous examples in Englewood of the reuse of former school buildings while retaining their distinctive exteriors.
After the incorporation of Englewood in 1899, Liberty School was the first public building it invested in, making a statement about the new City’s priorities. Begun in 1901 and dedicated on September 6, 1902, the original Jacobethan Revival core of Liberty School was designed by Herbert C. Davis of Davis, McGrath and Kiessling. The additions and alterations to the building, which consist of the northern side section (1913), and the southern side section (1927), designed by noted architect Lawrence Licht, and the more recent one-story bay window projections on the east facade, complement the character of the core, so that the whole building looks symmetrical, coherent, and well-designed. Liberty School has been seen as architecturally significant since its construction. In 1909, it was featured in American Architect, one of the central publications in the field, and in 1981-2, the Bergen County Historic Sites Survey included it as one of the more notable buildings in the County.
In 1999, the building was renamed in honor of Russell C. Major, who had served on the Board of Education for 18 years, longer than anyone else, and was a leading figure in support of quality public education during those years.
In addition to the Liberty School, the Society will also present a plaque to the First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, which had been previously honored in 1994. The Awards Dinner, annually a major community event, is scheduled to start at 6 PM on Wednesday, May 21, at the Double Tree (Hilton) Hotel, just off Route 4 East in Fort Lee. Tickets are $50 and will be available at the door or by telephoning 201-568-9244.
