A Building That Speaks to Us

In his recently released book, "Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant," retired Army Lt. Gen. Julius W. Becton Jr. delves into his tumultuous tenure as chief executive of D.C. public schools in the late 1990s. Chapter 19, "My Toughest Challenge," should be read by anyone interested in a firsthand account of life in a D.C. school system firestorm.

I have, however, a quibble with the book.

Becton's discussion of his attempt to close schools includes a reference to yours truly being "devastated" by the thought that Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School at 21st and L streets NW was on Becton's hit list.

Devastated is a bit strong; bent out of shape is more accurate.

Stevens, as Becton noted, was the first school built in Washington for freed slaves after the Civil War.

Becton got it slightly wrong when he wrote that my grandparents, parents, siblings and I had attended Stevens. All of the King family members except my grandparents are Stevens alumni.

I confess to using this column at the time to weep and wail about the looming demise of Stevens ["Selling Off a Piece of the City's Heritage," op-ed, March 22, 1997]. But my concern then, like my worry now, had nothing to do with the basic rationale for closing schools.

Becton's reasons for closing schools were much the same as those used today by Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.

Becton found himself in charge of a school system with a lot of underused space. That problem is now more acute; today's public school enrollment is half of what it was in 1960.

Closures and consolidations are necessary, a point made forcefully and eloquently this week by D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser at a Ward 4 Democratic candidates debate.

So I have been reluctant to second-guess Fenty and Rhee on their decision to deal with under-enrolled public schools.

The issue for me -- then and now -- is how the city handles landmarks such as Stevens. For scores of Washingtonians, that 140-year-old building has as much meaning and value as some of the historic structures on the Mall.