Merry Christmas; I Am Grateful A Cross Remains on a Public Building Through My Efforts

I wish all of my readers a Blessed Christmas 2009.

I am particularly grateful that partially through my efforts, the cross atop the former St. Joseph Hospital in Reading, a former Catholic facility dating back to the 19th Century that is being renovated for use as a public school by the Reading School District, remains in place, despite the District's original plans to remove it. I had written the acting Superintendent on December 7 outlining the historical, architectural (as I noted the campus is intended to correspond to Reading High School, which is in the Gothic Revival style, a Christian style that includes dozens of quadrifoils, which are Greek crosses with rounded ends), financial and legal reasons for keeping the cross in place the day that my term ended as Reading School Director, which successfully resulted in delaying its removal as the renovation has neared completion. One of the remaining Directors subsequently moved the question at a meeting, which was tabled until the newly sworn-in members could decide the issue. Although the issue remains undecided by the Board of Directors, at least it discussed it for the first time. Thus, not only is the public debating the issue, with the overwhelming majority opposing its removal, but the Board finally began publicly debating the question, with members going on record with their positions at least to some degree. The Administration nevertheless had planned to remove the cross despite the tabling, but other factors have apparently delayed any such action.

I shall post updates about this unique issue, as well as other observations of my tenure in public service as a School Director in future posts, as I continue to tie up loose ends. For now, I appreciate that my prayer for the cross to remain in place through Christmas has been answered favorably.

I am pleased that I have been able to post to my blog more frequently now that my service as an elected official has ended, even though I have been preparing for Christmas.

I wish a Merry Christmas especially to all United States servicemen, and peace to all those of good will.