With an $87 million renovation of Garfield High School scheduled for later this month, a local organization hopes to rescue the school's auditorium, named for the legendary Quincy Jones, from being torn down.
The group known as United to Save the Garfield Quincy Jones Auditorium started after community members and Garfield alumni felt as though their voices weren't being heard.
"It is important that the new students know the history of the school," said David Barfield, campaign manager and a 1968 Garfield alumnus. "There is a wealth of history right in that auditorium. I had suggested that the auditorium be saved before the renovations plans were made, but they never listened."
For the generations
Needing to collect 18,000 signatures to get the issue on the fall ballot, United to Save the Garfield Quincy Jones Auditorium is hoping to gather twice that total to force a vote this summer.
"A lot of people don't even know that they are going to tear it down," said Shellise Montgomery, 1986 alumna and group treasurer. "That's what happens - everyone finds out about it when it's too late. We would have loved to have gotten involved at the beginning."
If the bill succeeds, it would force the Seattle City Council to pressure the school district into preserving the historic site. While the school itself, at 400 23rd Ave., stands as a city landmark, renovations in the 1970s to the auditorium took away any protection to the building.
"If they are keeping the third-floor gym and other landmarks from the school building, then they should keep the Quincy Jones auditorium," Montgomery said. "No one knocks down history and then rebuilds it."
Featuring a "Drama Wall," with signatures and tributes of past students, the auditorium has hosted speeches by such African-American figures as Stokely Carmichael, Alex Haley, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr.
"The stage is historic, and there have been so many people that have performed and spoken there," Barfield said. "I think the coming generations should know what was there before them."
The auditorium's namesake
Critics have claimed that earlier renovations in the 1970s ruined the auditoriums acoustics and sight lines - thus, starting over with a more improved building would create a tribute worthy of Quincy Jones' name.
"No one has ever said that what is in the works, in terms of this new performing-arts center, will even be named after Quincy," Barfield said. "In addition, we don't think Quincy should have to fight to keep to the auditorium open with his name, so we decided we would fight for him."
Jones, a 1950 Garfield graduate, is an icon in the music world. He was nominated for more than 70 Grammy awards (a winner of 25) and is perhaps best known for producing the top-two records of all-time: Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "We Are the World."
In the '50s, Jones performed in Pioneer Square, often with companion Ray Charles, and in the '60s, he got involved with social activism with Martin Luther King Jr.
"Quincy Jones is a legend; he made it to Hollywood from Seattle," Montgomery said. "It feels good to say, 'I went to Garfield High School and Quincy Jones went there, too.'"
On hold
Construction plans at Garfield High School call for major restoration to the 1923 building, an expanded sports field and track, a new gymnasium and a new performing-arts center to keep up with other Seattle School District high-school renovations, including Roosevelt and Cleveland high schools.
While the renovations will begin late June, the auditorium is one small part of the project. The contractors will postpone demolition of the auditorium until there is some resolution.
"I know that they are talking about building a state-of-the-art performing-arts center, but I still think the Quincy Jones auditorium can be left intact," Barfield said. "They could use it for different events at the school."
As the renovation date nears, United to Save the Garfield Quincy Jones Auditorium continues to gather signatures - turning their focus to high-school reunions at Garfield High School in the coming weeks.
"You just don't know how many people that auditorium touched - the community, as well as former students," Barfield said.
For more information about the effort to save Garfield High School's Quincy Jones Auditorium, call campaign manager David Barfield, at 329-0437.
[[In-content Ad]]
