
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 18, 1995                   TAG: 9508180099
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ALUMNI WANT TO `SAVE FACE'

Some alumni and parents of children at Breckinridge Middle School want its historic front preserved when it is renovated next year, and they are worried because they have received no assurances from Roanoke school officials.

Some are nervous because of the controversy over the razing of part of Jackson Middle School in Southeast Roanoke. They fear the same thing might happen to Breckinridge, which was built in the 1930s and was William Fleming High School until the early 1960s.

The alumni and parents have urged the architects and school officials to preserve the entranceway, circular drive and front of the school at 3901 Williamson Road N.W.

Fran Martin, co-president of the Breckinridge Parent-Teacher Association, said Thursday that architects and school officials have indicated it is likely that the entranceway and drive will be retained, but they wouldn't make a commitment on the front of the building.

Martin, who attended Breckinridge when it was William Fleming and has children at the school now, said the neighborhood wants the school to be modernized and upgraded.

"We know that it needs updating, and we support that," she said, "but we want to see at least the front of the building preserved."

Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations, said he, too, hopes the front of the building can be saved, but "we can't make any guarantees until we see the plans and costs."

Like the Jackson project, Kelley said the primary objective for the Breckinridge modernization is to best meet the needs of the students.

He said it might be easier to preserve the front of Breckinridge because it has fewer floor levels and more land than Jackson.

Jackson had so many levels that it would have required four elevators to provide access for students who use wheelchairs.

Another complicating factor at Jackson was the move of the main entrance from the Ninth Street side of the school to Montrose Avenue. The main entrance at Breckinridge won't have to be changed.

Despite protests from some Southeast Roanoke residents, school officials decided to raze part of Jackson to provide better educational facilities.

Jackson, the first of four middle schools to be renovated, will be closed this school year for the modernization project, and some of its students will attend Breckinridge.

Breckinridge is next, slated for refurbishing in the 1996-97 school year. It will be followed by Woodrow Wilson in 1998 and Addison in 1999.

by CNB