Letters to Commission Cook #002

Subscribe to my newsletter at stevoncook.com.

Below are a few of the letters of support I’ve gotten to keep the mural at George Washington High School. I support the decision to remove the mural, but I am listening to everyone’s point of view. You can also contact me on Twitter: StevonCook.

4/6/2019

Dear Mr. Cook,

I am writing to protest the decision to paint over and deface the famous George Washington High School murals.

I am appalled and I think it is ridiculous to think that you can obliterate or change history, ugly as it may be, by whitewashing over it. This is shameful and not representative of who we are as native San Franciscans are. I no longer live in my birth city but I hold it, and my alma mater, dear to me. What do you suppose you are going to put on these walls to replace it? Flowers and bunnies? Art by its nature is often controversial. These murals might be offensive to some because of their subject matter, but instead of defacing them as you propose you should be embracing them as a LEARNING TOOL! This is the perfect opportunity to take your high schoolers on a historic field trip through their OWN building and learn about what happened in the past. I cannot believe that only two short years ago these murals were destined to be named historic landmarks and now this! You should ALL be ashamed of yourselves. Please save and preserve these murals for my grandchildren!!!

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/sfusd-schools-murals-destined-for-landmark-status/

4/6/2019

Dear President Cook;

As I approach the 50th anniversary of my graduation from Washington High, I am dismayed to hear of purported plans to remove or destroy the remarkable work of art that adorns the entry to the school. The buildings and decorative art of Washington High embody the rich artistic expression of the WPA, and as such continue to inspire and connect young people to the meaning of history and the role of art and narrative in it’s depiction. The proposed destruction of these murals sadly brings to mind the desecrations of art and cultural history by the Taliban and Isis.

History is written, and rewritten within the framework of a fluid social consciousness. When I attended GWS (1967–1969), the times were awash with foment and protest. I can remember my eloquent classmate Debbie O’Neal, elected as senior class President, raising the issue of institutional racism as depicted by the victorious white conquerors standing astride a dead Native American, and controlling shackled African American slaves. There is no question that American history is replete with images and stories that trigger anger and resentment within the descendants of its victims. However, a clear-eyed confrontation with the facts of the past also strengthens our ability to address the continuing aftermath of social injustice.

When works of public art are created with the obvious intent to propagate white supremacy, e.g. heroic statues of Confederate generals, one may legitimately call for their removal from the public space. However, this is clearly not the case with the Arnautoff murals. They indeed depict an expression of white supremacy that, like it or not, underscores the deeply troubled history of the United States. They create an opportunity for clear and focused discussion in the classroom about the meaning of heroism, the complexity of human behavior, and the malleability of morality. They are also remarkable works of art, which firmly situate GWHS as a monument to the progressive values of the WPA.

4/5/2019

Dear President Cook,

It is imperative that the Life of Washington murals be kept in place and displayed at George Washington High School so that they can continue to inform students and visitors about how our country began in the calamitous days of revolution. We then are inspired by looking around and recognizing how much progress we have made since then, when this experiment in democracy began. We are then also motivated to right the wrongs that still exist in our society as we reach for greater success in achieving the ideals of true democracy. The existing murals provide us clear perspective as we look back in time, suggest that we look around us in the present, and encourage us to improve the future. (I would that an artist be commissioned to speak to the present and the future in additional murals!)

In June 1951, I graduated from George Washington High School as one of the five top scholar student speakers, and the female awardee of the Cummings Cup. I have never forgotten that O. I. Schmaelzle often announced to us, the student body, that his mission as Principal was to teach us how to live in a Democracy. I have always been proud of attending and graduating from GWHS with its high democratic values. During 1950, just at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, we elected as Student body President, Larry Wells, a bright, popular African-American. Also, although parents raised eyebrows and protested, we paired our African-American athlete and ballerino, Albert Jones, with our equally professional Caucasian ballerina, (name?) to dance together onstage in our Senior production. As vice-president of the Senior Class, I went with the other officers and our class faculty adviser, Larry Hawkinson, to look over a site for our Senior Day Activity. It was a resort in Marin County called Fairfax with tennis courts, swimming pool and other fun activities. We were all feeling positive about the venue and turned to leave. The manager stopped us just then, however, and said, “You can bring only two or three Blacks for the event.” Without missing a beat, we all said no thanks, and left. We planned another venue down the Peninsula for our outing. The following week the story somehow found its way into Herb Caen’s well-known column in the San Francisco Examiner under the headline: Brave New World!

4/4/2019

Hello Mr. Cook,

I’m writing you today to voice my concerns about the Washington High murals. It is my feeling that the atrocities perpetrated by the European colonists in this country throughout it’s history should be depicted honestly. Let’s not whitewash history nor the murals.

Thank you for your consideration.