Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Durfee Murals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission hears plan to preserve unique WPA "man murals" in Durfee Tech Auditorium
Summary
Commissioner Joyce Rodricks updated the commission on the Tech Auditorium WPA "man murals," reporting water damage was halted by a roof replacement, an expert found the murals cannot be moved, and the school committee committed $7,200 to test high-resolution digital imaging as a preservation option.
Commissioner Joyce Rodricks gave a detailed history of the Tech Auditorium "man murals," calling them "the only contiguous collection of WPA murals" and saying they tell Fall River's story from Wampanoag history through the textile era. She said initial priority work halted water damage (a roof replacement) and that state expert Peter Williams examined the murals and concluded they could not be removed intact because adhesive in the wall contains hazardous material.
Rodricks said the School Department committed $7,200 for a test run of high-resolution digital photography to assess whether digital copies could be made and used if physical cleaning or copying is necessary. She asked the commission to stay involved and to seek follow-up from the school superintendent and facilities staff; no formal vote was taken on preservation funding during this meeting.
