I am concerned about the proposed renovation of the Pennell Institute buildings in Gray and the proposed move of the town offices into those buildings. My sisters both attended Pennell Institute, but my parents sold the hilltop farm in West Gray and we moved out of town while was in the eighth-grade.

I attended three elementary schools in Gray; the one-room school in West Gray that was moved and converted to a residence, the two-room school on Shaker Road that is now the School Administrative Disctrict 15 offices, and the Hancock School that is now the library. Those three schools were just ordinary buildings without any special features and it is not much of a loss that they were converted to other useful purposes.

The old Pennell Institute building, however, is an architectural gem with many fine interior features. In my opinion, it would be a shame and a great loss if those fine interior features were removed or covered over to convert the building to offices. It is my understanding that the town could give the old Pennell Building to the Gray Historical Society on a long-term lease and the historical society would then be able to apply for grant money to properly restore and maintain the building.

When the survey about Pennell was taken several months ago, I was of the opinion that the town offices should be moved into the newer buildings that were added to the old building about 50 years ago if that was feasible. If feasible was the key concept in my mind.

I now think differently. My opinion now is that those new sections should be demolished to maintain the old building in all of its proper grandeur and the town offices should be moved into a new building either on the Pennell lot or elsewhere.

I would hope that the voters will reject the proposed bond issue and that there will be further consideration before any irreversible actions are taken.

David W. Knudsen,

Gray