Recent Efforts to Rename OA Auditorium Face Financial Hurdle
As many of us know by now, Mrs. Dalrymple – a name known well in the Easton Public School system – retired at the end of last year. However, just because Mrs. D is no longer a teacher in our school, the impact she had on forty years worth of music students will not be forgotten. That is the idea behind the Charlene Lorion Dalrymple Performing Arts Center Naming Project. While the positive impact Mrs D. had on the Oliver Ames community is indisputable, the Naming Project has not been able to meet $250,000 price tag that comes with naming the school’s auditorium, causing debate over whether or not naming rights should be granted.
Efforts have been made by many to name the auditorium after Mrs. Dalrymple due to the amount of time, energy, and effort she put into her job, most of which took place inside that very room. Easton residents who support the proposal – including various community members and many of Dalrymple’s students (current and former) – were invited to attend a Easton School Committee meeting on July 13th. The turnout at this meeting was significant, and proponents got a chance to speak up and share their opinions.
Advocates Colleen A. Less and Joanne Faust share that “there are significant numbers of current and former students, parents, community members, and colleagues who humbly suggest that naming the auditorium for Mrs. D is the most appropriate way to honor her contributions to the District.” Many seem to agree with them. The controversy surrounding this project does not pertain to the issue of whether or not Mrs. D contribution’s are deserving of the title, but rather the financial aspect of the project.
During the July committee meeting, debate was centered around the fact that the School Committee maintains a policy that asks for $250,000 for the auditorium to be named, yet the proposal offers $50,000, which is only one-fifth of this price. Some supporters declared that the proposal should even be accepted for free considering Dalrymple’s impact, but understand that that is unlikely and consider the $50,000 a generous offer. Supporters also argue that no other proposals have been made to name the auditorium in the last nine years and that the naming would be based on Dalrymple’s individual contributions to the school district.
Others spoke in favor of the school system receiving the full amount regardless as it would be beneficial to the town as a whole. Additionally, the naming rights for other locations in school, such as the Simmons Lecture Hall and Nixon Gymnasium, came at full price. It is likely that if the project were to be approved, an agreement would have to be made between the School Committee and the proponents involving the financial aspect of the proposal.
Although no official vote or decision has yet been made, advocates for the project are in high hopes. A workshop committee meeting in early August left them optimistic, understanding that the committee wants to honor their proposal but do what is best for the school district at the same time. Regardless of the outcome, Mrs. D’s impact is far-reaching and will not be forgotten anytime soon.