Rededicating Frankford High School
to the students of the 21st century

By David J. Foster

Staff Writer

Dr. Thomas Mills looked up at the twin towers guarding Oxford Ave.

"Can you imagine tearing that down?" he said. "We couldn't do it. Instead, we're giving it a triple bypass to keep its heart operating into the 21st century."

On Saturday, Mills, a school board member, School District Superintendent David W. Hornbeck, current students, and alumni gathered outside Frankford High School to celebrate the school board's decision to spend $5 million to rejuvenate the 87-year-old facility.

Last year, the board's Committee of Productivity and Improvement recommended constructing a new Frankford High School and demolishing the current building.

"We concluded that since there are 42,000 living graduates, if we attempted that they would likely tear down the Board of Education building," said Mills, class of '48. The board decided to repair rather than raze.

The $5 million project will renovate the heating and cooling systems, and replace wiring, doors, and roof. The building will also get a new internal phone system, and digital cables for a school-based computer network.

"Departments, small learning communities, and offices will be able to create electronic portfolios of student work that can be archived within the school," said Mantell. "Communications with the school will be enhanced."

The rededication ceremony was the brainchild of Frankford high alumni association president Paul Schrenk, class of '77.

"We have seen many dedications here in the past 87 years," Schrenk told those gathered. "This one is the most important. We have the honor of not closing this building due to the generosity of our superintendent and school board. I thank them for keeping our tradition alive."

"This is a delightful day," said William Richmond, class of '49 and former Philadelphia fire commissioner. "This is a neighborhood school of long standing and there are a lot of memories in there. The enduring thing are the relationships. I still see my school friends every week of so."

He doesn't have to look far. Frankford graduates populate City Hall, the School District, and Center City's office buildings. "Says something about the school, doesn't it?" Richmond said. "This building is more than mortar, bricks, glass, and steel," said Frankford principal Richard Mantell. "It is the unique interaction between teachers and students-- the learning experience-- that creates a school."

"There is always a sense of community that is present at every gathering in Frankford," said Superintendent Hornbeck. "The reason for the distinguished service of the living alumni . . . is that the school's history has been filled with partnerships" and generations of families who supported the school.

"Know that these (renovations) will secure this building into the 21st century in a way that it will serve the next 80 years of Frankford alumni in the distinguished way it has over the last 80 years," Hornbeck said.