The  TRAGIC  END  of  the  SCHOOL  of  PERFORMING  ARTS

When the H.S. of Performing Arts was founded in 1948 the Advisory Commission was created under the Chairmanship of Mrs. SAMUEL A. LEWISOHN, It's members were all recognized as accomplished professionals in their respective disciplines & were responsible for advising the school administration regarding the professional credentials of the Dance, Drama & Music faculties as well as the professional standards of curriculum for the 3 studios.

In 1973, I was appointed by the NYC Board of Ed to succeed NORRIS HOUGHTON as Chair of the Commission‘s Drama Panel.  It was not only an honor, but a joy to serve with 2 of my schoolmates, CORA CAHAN & SANFORD ALLEN who became Chairs of the Dance & Music Panels respectively.  

In 1977, while I continued serving as Chair of the Drama Panel, the Board appointed me to also serve as Chairperson of the entire Commission. I held this dual post until the end of the Commission's existence in the late 1980s.                   

In the early 1980s the Board announced it's intent to merge Performing Arts with the H.S. of Music & Art. The Advisory Commission was vehemently opposed to the plan &, as Commission Chair, I led the opposition, together with Dr. MARJORIE L. DYCKE, founding Chair of the Drama Dept. We were against the merger because the two schools had completely different educational objectives & we feared that the unique goals & character of P.A. would be lost, obliterated by the much older & larger Music & Art.      

We also fought the teacher's union for the essential need to con-      tinue our traditional hiring practice, requiring studio faculty to be working professionals in theatre, dance or music as distinguished from licensedteachers without credentials as professional perform-ers. Simultaneously, we mounted a campaign to have our school building (on W. 46 St.) landmarked by the N.Y.C. Landmarks Commission, in recognition of the numerous alumni, who as actors, dancers & musicians, have made significant contributions to the arts.

Opposition to the merger was unanimous within all the S.P.A. constituen-cies: the Advisory Commission, Student Government, Academic & Studio Faculties, Parents & Alumni Associations. We fought with a single voice but despite our unanimity, the schools were merged in 1984 & the new creation opened in a building adjacent to Lincoln Center. By 1987, when the last classes had graduated, the School of Performing Arts with it's unique mission as a professional training program for actors, dancers & musicians, within the N.Y.C. public school system, had ceased to exist.