CHP building to link past ideals, future visionby Michael BakerPublic Relations In a city as historic as Charleston, the past often leaves its mark on the present and future. The weathered inscription “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve” at the entrance of the old Charleston High School reminds passers-by of the historic school’s legacy. But renovation and construction at the hollowed-out building on Rutledge Avenue promise to bridge the gap between scholars of the past and students of the future. The Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Health Professions (CHP) continues to renovate the high school as part of its new educational complex. Upon its completion, the facility will serve as one of the larger allied-health centers in the Southeast. Despite the facility’s location, it won’t displace the high school completely. Rather than demolishing what remained of the older building—and erasing a piece of Charleston’s history in the process—the college plans to merge the existing façade into its facility’s architecture. As students and staff enter the college in 2005, they’ll step from the past to the future, figuratively and literally. Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Professions, felt intrigued by the prospect of maintaining the site’s tradition of quality education and the community’s sense of history. “Schools are special places, and they are an important part of our community,” she said. “The motto ‘Enter to Learn Leave to Serve’ captures the essence of what we are doing in the College of Health Professions. “We educate 75 percent of the senior-level allied health professionals in South Carolina,” she continued, “and when our students leave the college, they serve the people of South Carolina and improve the quality of health care and of life in our state.” Caroll LeTellier, a graduate of Charleston High School, noted that Ripich and others at the college have preserved a piece of history that holds a special place in the hearts of many within the community. “Many people, including some of Charleston’s leading citizens, owe their success to the education obtained within these walls,” he said. “The graduates of Charleston High School and the citizens of Charleston owe a debt of gratitude to the Medical University of South Carolina for preserving this fine, 80-year-old structure.” Clay Matthews, Charleston High School graduate and chair of the school’s alumni task force, complimented the teamwork between the two institutions and the city. “The nicest thing is that the project provides an opportunity for MUSC, Charleston High School graduates, and the City of Charleston to work together,” he said. “They’re preserving the past in a way that will continue to serve the future. It’s been a most unified effort.” But the physical incorp-oration of the high school into the college, of old into new, represents only part of the historical fusion. The high school’s graduates, in conjunction with the Charleston High School Alumni Association, are working with the college to include granite tiles in a memorial at the facility’s entrance. Inscribed names of the high school’s alumni, former teachers and administrators, and friends will adorn the border of the main hallway in MUSC’s largest college. “The granite tiles will lend an elegant atmosphere to the entrance,” said Tommy Thornhill, another alum. “We all should be sensitive to the historic value of our community, as it gives us an anchor to the past and hope for the future.” Bill Stevens, head of the Charleston High School Alumni Association, asserted that only 348 tiles will be available for inscription. The alumni association sold tiles to graduates at its annual Bantam Weekend, July 24-25. While the tiles outline the hallway, the seal of Charleston High School will provide its centerpiece. Embedded in the floor, the symbol augments the tiles’ message: moving forward often requires building upon the past. For information on supporting this project or purchasing a tile, contact
Thornhill at 577-6722, ext. 112.
Friday, Aug. 6, 2004
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