Fitchburg celebrates its new school
Friday, October 20, 2000

By Ted Flanagan
Telegram & Gazette Staff 
FITCHBURG-- The last time Fitchburg opened a new high school
-- almost 65 years ago -- its elegant facade graced the
cover of Life magazine.
         "Our new high school of 230,000 square feet is
certainly worthy of Life magazine," Superintendent Philip
M. Fallon said last night. "But today, it would probably be
more appropriate for it to be on the cover of USA Today to
get the country's attention."
         Mr. Fallon was among those who spoke to the 600 or
so guests at the formal dedication of the new, $38.7 million
high school on Scripture Road.
         The school opened about six weeks ago to rave
reviews, and the dedication was the centerpiece in a two-day
celebration.
         The school will be open from 3 to 6 p.m. today for
public tours.
         The dedication was a chance both to pat on the back
those who worked throughout the '90s to get the school
built, and also to look to possibilities the
state-of-the-art high school presents.
         Mr. Fallon said the new school, combined with two
new elementary schools placed firmly on the drawing board by
the School Committee earlier this week, will form the city's
"cornerstone."
         "I believe that the future of this city is with
education," he said. "We will have families come to this
city who want to lay down roots."
         Mr. Fallon said he believes that with the new high
school, the eventual addition of new elementary schools and
a closer relationship with Fitchburg State College, more and
more city students will complete their entire education --
from preschool through college -- in the city.
         Mayor Mary H. Whitney said the building marked a
"new era for the city of Fitchburg" that will help "ensure
our youth will have the skills and preparation to compete in
a global marketplace."
         The event included a number of speeches, music from
the Fitchburg High School concert band and the presentation
of two flags, one in honor of the school, the other an
American flag that once flew above the U.S. Capitol building
in Washington, D.C.
         Principal Bernard J. Welch, the master of
ceremonies, said earlier this week he's thrilled with the
new school.
         Mr. Fallon said the contractors who built the
building came in on time and under budget.
         He also said recently that, while the details are
still being worked out, the "punch list" for the high school
project is expected to be very small and easily handled.
         Punch lists are lists of errors or unexpected
changes that occur in building projects that need to be
corrected or agreed upon before final payments are made on a
project.  

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