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Sunday, August 03, 2008
SFIS Missed Class on PR
When century-old buildings fall to the wrecking ball, it's likely to be news regardless of where it happens. When it happens in Santa Fe, and happens over a weekend, it's bound to be news — and to provoke a storm of questions, accusations and lamentations.
That's exactly what happened when many of the oldest buildings on the city's iconic Santa Fe Indian School campus were reduced to rubble last weekend. One Journal reader compared the scene to Dresden after Allied bombing in World War II. The comparison is overwrought, to put it mildly — 13 square miles of that city's center were destroyed in the bombing only three months before the end of the war in Europe. But the exaggeration gives you a feel for the uproar over the Indian School demolition here in Santa Fe.
Some people raised health questions: vintage buildings often contain asbestos, and there was no evidence demolition workers were taking any precautions in that regard. Others lamented the loss of buildings long ago designated as worthy of the National Register of Historic Places. Still others wondered about the fate of Depression-era murals created under the Works Progress Administration, and wall decorations by school students of the same and later decades who went on to become noted artists.
In all this, the school's board and its spokesperson was less than helpful. Word that the asbestos had already been removed from the buildings, for example, finally came from the demolition contractor. (The federal Environmental Protection Agency, which has jurisdiction in the matter, said the school's paperwork for dealing with that problem was in order, but that it would review the situation this week.) The buildings that may have been eligible for the historic register weren't, apparently, on it. The fate of the murals and other art remains unclear.
In their recalcitrance, Indian School officials appear to have squandered a golden opportunity to garner free — and most likely positive — publicity for the school. First off, if it turns out to be true that the asbestos and other environmental hazards associated with the demolition have been properly handled, school administrators had everything to gain by making the facts public and promptly pointing out that worries about public safety were misplaced.
Addressing concerns about the fate of the buildings likewise presented school officials with the perfect opportunity to talk about something positive: the beautiful new campus — built behind the old one over the last four or five years at a cost of about $50 million, and the largest such project ever undertaken by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Incidentally, that new campus is now visible thanks to the demolition, which has cleared the "viewscape" along Cerrillos Road. School officials might have relished pointing out that the new campus buildings are every bit as suited to Santa Fe's historic style as the buildings they've replaced, and they also make the school a better and more up-to-date place to educate kids. What's not to like about that?
As for the art, there, too, school officials had an opportunity to make a point, although we're not sure what that point might have been.
There seems to be no doubt that the school once housed Depression-era murals, executed in conjunction with federal employment programs by noted American Indian craftsmen and artists. In the same era, the school hired a fine arts teacher who was positively inspired: The resulting school arts program resulted in more "public art" adorning the school, took students abroad — where their work was exhibited — and fostered the talents of several students who later became very well-known artists. What's become of all this art is not clear. One state expert in Depression-era public art in this state said she asked very recently to view some of the murals, but her request was rebuffed.
If school officials have made efforts to preserve these works, then disclosing that fact would be all to their credit. But if they haven't made those efforts, public explanation also might be instructive. For example, the work of artists from the school's Depression-era arts program is often highly stylized, and it was developed by a young woman who was not an American Indian. At the same time, it must be acknowledged, the school also focused on vocational training in trades and crafts — not a curriculum that would pass muster as equal-opportunity education today. All this occurred before the tribes took over the administration and direction of the school. It's at least conceivable that they might wish to repudiate the school's earlier heritage. If so, non-Indians could certainly benefit from learning their reasons for doing so.
Finally, school officials missed the opportunity to put a positive spin on their plans for new development along the campus's long Cerrillos Road frontage. We heard from other sources that they planned retail space and a museum. That's still unconfirmed, not to mention pretty vague, especially when you're talking about a significant stretch of street frontage not all that far from Santa Fe's downtown. And while it's true that because the campus is designated as tribal trust land, school officials are probably under no obligation to follow Santa Fe's development rules, some specifics on what they're planning would be welcome.
Tribal relations with the general public — and the press — have often been marred by secrecy and misunderstanding. Two recent examples suggest that this doesn't always have to be the case. During planning for the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, Tesuque pueblo officials raised questions about the fate of ancestral artifacts — including burials — at the site. To their credit, they attended public meetings to air their concerns, as well as negotiating with city officials. In the end, those concerns were allayed and construction proceeded. More recently, Santo Domingo officials objected to plans to increase air traffic at the Santa Fe airport. They, too, made their concerns public and, after visiting with city and federal officials, were willing to sign off on the plan.
Santa Fe Indian School officials might want to heed these examples of cooperation.