Ed Letter: Save K.T. Murphy School

K.T Murphy is vital to the identity of its community 04/04/2008

To the editor:
Neighborhoods are an important mechanism in our society, and an integral part of community life. They not only enhance our personal lives, but sustain the livability of our cities.
The mayor and school board should pay heed. As evidenced by the furor being raised on the message boards, it is obvious that K.T. Murphy Elementary School is a huge element in a living, breathing community, and has a fiercely devoted following. This isn't just a random group of parents saying "please don't close our children's school" (new story, April 1); this is an entire community telling you that this school is their heart.

While understood that everyone loves their schools, how many places exist where the devotion is intergenerational? Where else do you find such passion expressed by a legion of alumni that spans decades? Though the Cove has certainly become more transient in recent years, there are still plenty of life-long residents there for whom Murphy School is a piece of their personal history, and many more who are in the process of building the memory.

K.T. Murphy is part of a century of Cove history, and is as defining an element of the neighborhood as Cove Island. They both bring a community together.

Any attempt to dissolve that community spirit by closing Murphy School ought to be viewed as a deliberate dismantling of a neighborhood, and should be met with opposition at every turn. Cove residents must fight to preserve the quality of life here, which includes our neighborhood school!

Lois A. Hogan
Stamford