(Editor's note: This is one of a series of articles looking at each of the Toledo Public Schools' seven feeder areas and a state consultant's suggested options for the future of school buildings in those areas. The articles will be published to coincide with the public forums being held in each feeder area to gather citizen input on the options.)

As an alumnus of Waite High School who appreciates the building's unique architecture and history, David Yenrick is emotional about the possibility of the East Toledo school being torn down and rebuilt.

As an educator, he's frustrated with the 87-year-old structure's limitations and inability to support 21st century educational needs.

“The building is beautiful on the outside, but on the inside, it was built for 1914-student and 1914-educational purposes,” said Mr. Yenrick, who has been principal of Waite for the last seven years. “I want what's best for the kids, but I'd hate to lose this place.”

As Toledo Public Schools releases its plans for replacing, renovating, razing, and redistricting throughout the city, much attention is focused on Waite. The Gothic building, which sits on a hill overlooking downtown and the Maumee River, is considered by many to be one of the city's architectural treasures.

“It's probably the one building that is most significant in East Toledo as far as architecture, size, being a meeting place of the community and the setting, too - the way it's set off there,” said Larry Michaels author of the book Treasures of East Toledo. “That's why people are so concerned. They want to see it renovated, not demolished and rebuilt.”

District officials stress no plans for any schools are finalized under the Ohio School Facilities Commission proposed building project, but discussions and options offer some likely outcomes for Waite and other schools.

Sixty of the district's 69 classroom buildings should be replaced, according to a state assessment that balanced renovation against replacement costs in determining schools' fates.

Waite was not among the 60, but even its staunchest preservationist supporters acknowledge it has structural problems, outdated ventilation and heating, and cosmetic needs.

The building's large proportion of small classrooms, decidedly unmodern facilities, and lack of some academic and extracurricular offerings because of space limitations are affecting education, Mr. Yenrick said.

“There are some places where our children are being cheated compared to what a new school could offer,” he said.

Science labs and classrooms are too small. The choir room lacks risers. The auditorium needs new seats and has ceiling leakage.

But the tradition and value for students to attend a school many of their parents graduated from can't be underestimated, said Mary Cannon, a 16-year social studies teacher at Waite.

Of one class of 30 science students, 26 said they had relatives who attended Waite.

“That's not uncommon here,” Ms. Cannon said. “It does build a sense of something maybe other schools don't have.”

But Mat Yenrick, the principal's nephew and a junior at Waite, said history and tradition aside, the older school constricts opportunities for students.

“Every school should be state of the art,” he said.

In what's estimated as a $750 million to $800 million building project, Toledo Public Schools has held a series of forums presenting options to the community and seeking input about the plans.

Tonight's at Waite at 7 o'clock is the sixth. Tomorrow will be the final meeting at Scott High School for that learning community.

The district is only presenting one plan for East Toledo elementary schools, which includes closing East Side Central and replacing the other six elementaries with new buildings. A new Raymer building would become the Waite Learning Community Elementary Academy because of its central location on the east side.

“When we went over the plan, the general consensus was that the buildings were not adequate. They are pretty well hemmed in by the neighborhoods. They're multi-story buildings, not handicapped-accessible. We really felt that there weren't any architecturally significant buildings among the elementary schools. We could do better with new buildings,” said Bob Clark, school-improvement leader for the Waite feeder area.

Most of the east side elementary schools have been rebuilt on original sites, lessening the community affection for them, at least as compared to the high school, he said. “There's an attachment of the current generation but when you look at the history, some of the schools are on their second building,” Mr. Clark said.

Arlene Tucker, principal at Franklin Elementary School, said the designers and builders of the 77-year-old building could not and did not anticipate 21st-century functions that serve a very different student population.

“When the buildings were built, kids went home for lunch,” she said. “We feed a number of children twice a day. We need adequate cafeteria facilities and not a regular classroom.”

Franklin pupils eat in a converted basement classroom. It's dedicated to food service, Ms. Tucker said, but acoustics and layout don't maximize its use.

“I think the rebuilding would get us a building that would put us into the next century,” she said.

First Published December 5, 2001, 11:33 a.m.