"It's all just too big," said Debra Finch, gesturing in wonder at the Antilles School campus. Finch, first headmistress when the school started 50 years ago, was attending the groundbreaking Friday for the new school library.
Finch's sentiment was not shared by current Headmaster Mark Marin or anyone else at the ceremony, which marked the beginning of an even larger campus. "It's auspicious," said Marin "that on the 50th anniversary of the school, we are breaking ground for a new building." The school is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend.
Marin was joined at the podium by Gov. Charles W. Turnbull, former education commissioner, Cornelius B. Prior Jr, chairman of Antilles capital improvement campaign, and Elliott MacIver Davis, president of the board of trustees.
Marin read a letter from Ambassador Henry L. Kimelman, school benefactor and honorary board chairman, for whom both the new and old libraries are named. Kimelman extended apologies that he was not able to attend the ceremony because of personal matters in New York, but said he was there "in spirit."
Before the speakers all took digs in the ground with a bright gold be-ribboned shovel, Marin thanked Prior for his $1 million dollar contribution to "Imagine the Possibilities," the school's new capital improvement campaign, of which the library is the first stage.
Prior said, "the first $1 million was easy, but we need more." Marin said they have raised a lot more, almost $3.5 million of the estimated $6 million cost of the project, but, he said, "I want to make it clear that we aren't quite there yet."
The overcast rainy morning didn't throw a damper on the enthusiasm of the small but buoyant crowd. It was difficult to tell who was beaming more – architect Kevin Qualls or Lower School Headmistress Polly Watts.
Gazing at his renderings with a big smile, Qualls said "this has been in the works for a long time, way before Hurricane Marilyn." The drawings were hanging in a small tent in front of what will be the library, a graceful three-story structure. "I wanted to keep it simple, but flexible," Qualls said.
Watts said she couldn't say enough about what a good thing the library will be for the school, not only in itself, but "to give us some room, to free up some space which we desperately need for new classrooms."
The new library will have 25 computers on each floor, according to former fifth-grade teacher Mary Tyler, who is now the school's technical coordinator. The current library sees well over 100 students using the internet-connected computers each day. "It's a big job — I love it,"said Tyler, of her new responsibilities, "there's just so much going on."
Included in the capital project is a fine arts center and theater, which will be connected to the library by the Jackson Center, a covered amphitheater, and a courtyard for student activities. The complex will also have an art gallery.
In addition to this, the school will have a state-of-the-art sports complex with a covered multi-sport field house with bleachers, press booth, lockers and broadcast booth. Upstairs will house dance, aerobics, and martial arts classrooms.
An overhaul for the existing playing field is also in the works with a new irrigation system, bleachers, turf, PA system and electronic scoreboard.
Randy Knight of Knight Communications of the V.I. has contributed $500,000 toward the sports complex, after which Knight has pledged more support.
Marin anticipates the project will take three years, but, "by the time the kids get back to school in the fall we hope to have the steel structure up for the library." And, he announced, "we'll start pouring cement Monday."
