Naming School Buildings For Woodrow Wilson

[PMDragon]

I'm assuming this discussion concerns the new school constructed on what was previously Woodrow Wilson High School. In regards to naming the new building, my feelings are that it bear the name of the school for which it was built. Plans were to construct a new building  at that site to replace the last of the old schools in Youngstown. That being the old Princeton building, which currently housed the Alpha School of Excellence ( 7th-8th grade, gender, middle school). Upon moving to the new building the new middle school will service 6th-8th grade. Since Alpha's conception 4 years ago, it established innovative and effective approaches to education appropriate to what the word "Alpha" implies. It has earned national recognition for its character education program, became a NASA Space Explorer School, has actively involved the community and its leaders in their programs, promotes an all "Highly Qualified" (as estabilshed by state standards) and dedicated staff. Thats just a brief overview. It is the preference of many to see it carry-on in its orginal name Alpha. Those who are sentimental towards keeping the "Wilson" name need to consider it is no longer a high school so calling it Wilson Middle School isn't really keeping the original name. As with all progress, we need to move on and allow for growth of great new things. Myself, I am a Wilson High School alumni, as are my children, my brother, my husband, sisters-in-law and mother-in-law. Yet I believe the new building should be named for which it was built: Alpha Middle School. 

[Rick Rowlands]

Wilson was president when the income tax was instituted, as well as when the Federal Reserve was created.  Those two actions would disqualify him from being called a "good president."  However, I do not feel that a school that has been named after Wilson for decades should have its name changed because of a few people who have nothing better to do than cause trouble.

Even bad presidents should have schools named after them.

[Jaime Hughes]

Fun Fact: Sheep on the White House lawn? A flock of sheep grazed during Woodrow Wilson's term. Their wool was sold to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I.

Fast Fact: Woodrow Wilson tried in vain to bring the United States into the League of Nations.

[Jaime Hughes]

No, it is not. Woodrow Wilson was a good president, being our 28th president he was a backer of the Progressive Era, and pushed for congress to pass things such as the Clayton Antitrust Act, Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Farm Loan Act. He brought many strong and influential ideas to the United States during that time, and although people are saying that he was a white Supremacist, he didn't let it solely influence Government rulings. He hired W.E.B. DuBois whom was a leader of the NAACP fully supported Wilson and by 1918 was offered a position in the United States Army to deal with race relations. Wilson drafted many African Americans into the Army giving them equal rights and equal pay, although they were still segregated from whites (as per the time period and law of that time).

If you look deep into history books, he actually didn't really care for immigrants that were coming to America at that time, but this was a time before he entered Politics then he slowly began to integrate them into American Society at that time.




----------
Wilson was a President of our Nation and I feel a good memorial would be naming him after a new building in our area. The fact of the matter is that during that time, many highly elected officials were anti-african American and were supported. We live now in a time of equality and tolerating one another. This was not the case during his time in office.

[jay]

There are segments of our community that strenuously object to naming a Youngstown school building for Woodrow Wilson.

Is this issue of concern to Forum members?