The true history of 560 Trinity
Dear Editor:
Re: Nov. 4, 2005 article “WU negotiates for new music space.”
Although I’m not connected with the Washington University music department, I want to clarify some of the points about the history of the beautiful facility the University is acquiring to house the music program, as referenced in the article.
The building at the SE corner of Delmar and Trinity has been an anchor for the greater St. Louis and University City communities for decades. I think it was built in the 1930s. The address is 560 Trinity Ave., not 650 Trinity Ave. It originally was a synagogue-Congregation Shaare Emeth. They relocated in 1974 to 11645 Ladue Road in Creve Coeur.
When the synagogue left, the building was purchased by the Saint Louis Conservatory and Schools for the Arts (CASA). At the time (1974) this was a newly formed organization, created by the merger of the St. Louis Institute of Music and the Community Music School.
The conservatory-which offered degrees in music just like Washington University does-closed in 1989, but the community-oriented programs continued.
Five years later, in 1994, CASA merged with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to become the St. Louis Symphony Community Music School. With 560 Trinity as the headquarters, they expanded the program, adding locations in North St. Louis, West County and at Webster University.
In 2001, Webster University took over the Community Music School to help out the Symphony with their financial troubles. So, yes, Webster did take on some debt associated with the facility-but that doesn’t by any means make it a bad facility.
Now Webster plans to build a headquarters for the Community Music School on their own campus, attached to the Loretto-Hilton (yes, that Hilton) Performing Arts Center, where the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and the St. Louis Shakespeare Company perform. They are just trying to center it all on their own campus.
Sure, it would be great if Washington University could build a student performance space on campus, since obviously what exists is inadequate. I suspect Edison Theatre might be resisting that, but maybe not. Anyway, I think this acquisition makes perfect sense as an interim solution, and as part of Washington University’s efforts to strengthen its role in the community at large.
Joe Frank
Graduate Student
Architecture students’ workload isn’t outrageous
Dear Editor:
After having read the article about the sick architecture juniors, as well as the follow-up letters from various students, it appears that only one side of this story has been adequately represented. As a graduate student who has been through four years of undergraduate study in architecture, I believe I am in a unique position to comment on this issue.ÿ I have reviewed the course guide and degree requirements that these undergraduates must fulfill and everything roughly parallels my own course history.ÿ
That being said, I have to take issue with the complaints raised by these students. They claim that an undue load has been placed upon them, but that load is no more and no less than that placed on freshmen, sophomores, seniors or graduate students. The only explanation, therefore, is that this particular group of students is particularly inept at managing their time (as was suggested in the original article). In the junior studio directly adjacent to my own, I have observed more chit-chatting, gossiping and giggling than actual working. Of the 40-60 hours they claim to spend in studio, I would estimate that less than half of it is actually spent working on their studio projects. For these students to then complain that they are overworked and have to spend nights working instead of sleeping is beyond ridiculous.
The attitudes espoused by these students can best be summed up with a quote from the letter from Cristina Garmendia (Student Life, Nov. 7): “We should not be blamed for our bad habits.” I don’t think it’s possible to take any less responsibility for one’s own actions. Expecting someone else to look after your needs 24/7 is immature and unrealistic. It’s time to start taking responsibility for your own lives, your own futures, and stop blaming the workload, the professors, the administration and everyone else but yourself.ÿ That may have worked for you in high school, when mommy and daddy looked after your every need. You’re on you own now, and it’s time to start acting like adults, not whining like children.
Ross Kirby
Graduate Student
Provide feedback to make site better
Dear Editor:
I wrote an op-ed about my Web site, [which helps students to find apartments]. I wanted to follow up and say that my Web site is completely dedicated to the students and I feel it is important for me to explain the bidding feature of the Web site in greater detail.
Something that I neglected to mention in my previous article is that the bidding on any apartment is capped at $100 above the current monthly rent. In other words, three students bidding on an apartment together could never pay more than $33 a month more each. In this regard, the bidding is neither meant to drive up prices on apartments nor to create a bidding war between students.
In addition, a single student may not bid on more than one apartment at a time. This is meant to prevent students from winning multiple auctions. Every time a student has been outbid they receive immediate notification via e-mail giving them the option to either bid again on the same apartment or go for another one.
I am going to be conducting a survey this week regarding the bidding option on the Web site. If it becomes clear that students do not want it on the Web site I will remove it entirely. The bidding feature is merely an attempt to address a problem in the current off-campus apartment search and acquisition process.
Again, I want to stress that we are extremely committed to serving students and that we are a Web site that is “for students, by students.”
Please continue to give me feedback about the site. I want to make this site work for the students as best I can and your comments are much appreciated.
Mark Sawyier
Class of 2007
Haydon article a worthy tribute
Dear Editor:
Thanks to Jeff Stepp for the beautiful tribute to Sona Haydon (Nov. 2, 2005). After nine and a half years as one of Sona’s older adult students, she had just scheduled my first-ever solo recital, and told me how pleased she was with how much she and I had accomplished.ÿ She had worked patiently with me, undoing years’ worth of physical damage begun long ago from indifferent teachers and a rigid playing technique.ÿ Little did I realize that my October 26thÿ lesson with her would be my last; she passed away three days later, and just three weeks prior to what would have been my recital date.ÿ
As a tribute to Sona, with a different date and a private venue, I will be giving my recital, anyway; she would have expected nothing less.ÿ She gave so much, not only to applied music students, but to those of us who resumed piano later in life, and saw in us what we sometimes did not see in ourselves.
Thank you, Sona, for all that you were to us.
Mary A. Akers
Information Systems Coordinator
Webster University
Development & Alumni Programs