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The school was created
in 1947 by educator Franklin J. Keller, using staff
and administrators from Metropolitan High School, a
vocational school on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Under Keller's stewardship, it offered music and speech
programs in addition to the traditional "trade"
skills.
Occupying a disused 1894 public school building on West
46th Street in Times Square, the new school offered
programs in Music, Dance, Drama, and, for a time, Photography.
Beginning in the mid 1950s, the New York City administration
regularly announced plans to move PA out of its ancient
building and into new quarters. These plans included
joining the current PA student population (around 450-500)
with another student body from another school in a newly
constructed building. A site in the then-Lincoln Square
area was chosen, then later moved to the newly-developed
Lincoln Center complex. These announcements rarely reached
the planning stages. It wasn't until the early 1970s
that construction actually began on a new school on
a site behind Lincoln Center. The new school would include
students from PA's "sister", The High School
of Music & Art, located in Upper Manhattan.
PA continued to audition, educate and graduate hundreds
of students during its decades of threatened existence.
After ground was broken on a new building in 1973, all
work stopped due to New York City's budget crisis, and
did not begin again until the early 1980s.
In June 1984 the last graduating class from the "old
building" departed. In September of that year,
students moved to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
of Music & Art and Performing Arts, joining students
from The High School of Music & Art, which also
vacated its old building.
In winter 1988, the vacant PA building at 120 West 46th
Street caught fire during renovation. Its facade and
several exterior walls survived; the interior needed
complete reconstruction. It now exists as the Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis School of International Careers.
(Excerpted
from the wikipedia
page for PA) |
In June 2002 alumni
from the classes of 1974 and 1975 pose in front of the dedication
plaque celebrating PA's place in history, during SPAA's 2nd
annual Gala.
CLICK
HERE TO READ BARRY's HISTORY OF
PA: THE FIRST TEN |
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SPAA was founded in late
1999 by Barry Plaxen (MU55; center),
Ellen Lerner (DR66; left) and Roanne Genge Patterson
(DR66; right)
 According
to SPAA's founders, the vision for this organization
began with the shcool's founder himself, Dr. Franklin
J. Keller (at right):
His philosophy: everyone is born into the world with
some kind of talent. The function of education is to
help them discover that talent, remove any obstacles
so they can develop it, and when this is accomplished,
the individual would use their ability for their own
benefit, as well as contribute to the good of the world.
Our teachers were chosen and hired with this objective
in mind.
We were children who were called by our own creative
impulses at a very young age. Right-brained artists,
many of us have led unusual lives with eclectic careers,
taking our unique creative talents out into every vocational
area including the "Performing Arts,"a phrase
some believe was coined by Dr. Keller and his supporters
and staff. Now in our 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's,
we are seeking meaning, community and the creative family
environment that was once home to us all. We're also
in touch with a deep need to contribute and make a difference
in the world.
We have established this association to continue to
fulfill Dr. Keller's vision by providing for ourselves
as adults the same kind of encouragement, nurturing
and opportunities to fulfill our own artistic and creative
potential, as was given us by our beloved teachers and
mentors.
This is not an alumni association. Our mission instead
is to further the cause of arts education, while providing
benefits to our members. Most alumni associations are
designed to bring direct benefits to the current student
population and facility. We look forward to doing that
in the future. Our focus now is on the graduates and
attendees of PA and implementing our larger picture
and goals. Once we have re-established Dr. Keller's
vision with SPAA, we will then open our membership to
all public and private arts education venues nationally
and internationally, as well as their friends, families
and all persons seeking to support the arts and public
and private arts education.
We suggest that whatever occupation fills our time,
whether it is artistic or not, we all remain artists
at heart. In fact, the ultimate power of our association
will be developed by its member diversity; the unique
variety of skills, talents and the expertise that we
all contribute.
The future holds many possibilities for all those involved
in this exciting endeavor, as well as the millions of
children for whom an arts education could be a reality
through our efforts.
Where are the "FAME" kids today? We're getting
together again to make big things happen.
—Ellen
Lerner (DR66) PA co-founder |
CLICK HERE TO READ SPAA's PRESIDENT'S
LETTER by co-president MARGARET LUCA |
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