- R J Reynolds High School
- Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium today
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Richard J. Reynolds High School and Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium got their names because on July 3, 1919, Katharine Smith Reynolds (the widow of Richard J. Reynolds, who was the wealthiest man in N.C. at his death) offered to purchase the land these buildings now sit on, and to build that auditorium and donate it to the city...if both of the buildings were named in honor of her deceased husband. Her offer was unanimously accepted by the city's Board of Aldermen that evening. A picture of the Reynolds follows.
Below are 2 pictures taken in 1925.
Reynolds High School opened in an emergency situation on January 15, 1923 for the first time (and that emergency was that the high school it was to replace burned down). The school opened its doors to students for its first full school year on September 18, 1923. Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium opened for the first time the following year, on May 8, 1924. Interestingly, the first public event held in it was the funeral service for Katharine (who had three years earlier married J. Edward Johnston, Sr.). She died on May 24, 1924, because of complications from the birth of their son: J. Edward Johnston, Jr.
How did folks travel from town to town in the 1920's?
By train. Automobiles in those days were play-toys for the rich. During the 1920's the Southern Railroad operated 100 daily trains that ran the same route every day. There were 1,500 railroad stations in the state at that time...and there are only 100 counties. Railroads in the 1920's started creating vacation packages that enticed folks in New York to go to Florida for a vacation.
You are looking (in the above image) at a map of the eastern seaboard. You will notice that N.C. is about midway between New York and Florida. Katharine Reynolds hoped that people would leave N.Y. and come to Winston-Salem. Once there, they would get off the train and go enjoy a play at Reynolds Auditorium. Then they would get back on the train and continue their trip to Florida. She hoped they would do the same thing when going back home.
To get to the auditorium, folks would get onto one of the pictured 45 electric railway streetcars that Winston-Salem had, and ride it on the existing railroad tracks that are adjacent to Northwest Boulevard. Folks would get off these electric railway street cars at the bottom of the hill where the auditorium is located.
Pictured above is a path that was created by people walking up and down the hill to and from the auditorium. Katharine considered the auditorium as somewhat of an economic engine for the City, since it would hopefully generate a lot of tourism business.Katharine (pictured above) looked at the auditorium as a public theater, as well as an asset to Reynolds High School. She also had some amazing plans for Reynolds High School and Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium. She planned on the school having the largest art gallery in the state, and also assumed the school and the auditorium would be the cultural center of the community.
The school and the auditorium were clearly ahead of their times when they opened. Both of those buildings had electric lights in every room. In contrast, a large number of homes in Forsyth County in the early 1920's did not have electrical power.Also, a large number of homes in Forsyth County did not have indoor plumbing in the early 1920's. Yet, when folks entered the auditorium, they quickly encountered fountains that had water constantly flowing in them (one of which is pictured).When the auditorium and the school opened, both had air conditioning. Each of these buildings had basements. Pictured above are metal grates on the first floor of the auditorium, that are in front of every seat. Large chunks of ice were delivered and placed in these basements. Large fans blew air over the ice. These grates are where this cooled air entered the auditorium. Vents in the school sent the cooled air to most of the rooms.When folks went into the school and especially when they entered the auditorium, they had the same sensation as folks that went to Disney World when it first opened: they were in a wonder world!
A major change in the way the School System treats the auditorium happened in 2016, when it started being treated as a separate entity (as opposed to being considered a part of Reynolds High School). The Manager of the auditorium does not now report at all to the Reynolds High School Principal, but instead he reports to the Operations Department of the School System.
Below are a few current-day facts about Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium.
Do you assume that the tarp shown that is over the Choir Wing of the auditorium is a temporary fix to a leaky roof? If you do, you would be incorrect. Dr. Leslie Alexander, who was RJR's eighth principal, served between 2015 and 2021. This tarp went up during her tenure. She was informed this was a permanent fix.
The HVAC unit for the auditorium is 60 years old. It was installed during the tenure of RJR principal John Tandy...and he left RJR in 1966. The bad news: this HVAC unit needs to last at least another 6-8 years. Why? The funds needed to replace it won't be available until the next school bond referendum is voted on...and that vote won't take place until 2028 (and we are assuming this HVAC project will be a part of the school bond referendum). The current estimates for replacing that HVAC unit is about $3 million.
There are two major reasons why the cost is that high::
- This unit is under the roof behind the clock that is above the columns in the above picture. The roof will have to be opened up, and a large crane will need to be brought in to lift this HVAC unit out (once it has been disconnected from the existing infrastructure). Then its replacement will need to be lifted and put in-place. Then that unit will have to be connected to the infrastructure. And last: the roof will have to be replaced.
- Also, this unit has to be custom-made, because it has to be very quiet when it is running (so that when the symphony is performing on-stage: folks can hear that beautiful music as opposed to hearing this unit running). Also, it will probably take at least a year and possibly two for this unit to be created (once the funds are in-place to make that purchase).
Why hasn't this unit been replaced earlier? There was an opportunity to have this replacement fully funded by the federal government soon after Covid broke out. ESSR Funds (Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief) funds were awarded to school systems throughout the country. One of the approved uses of those funds was to repair HVAC units. Harry Corpening, the Chairman of the Board of "The Friends of Richard J. Reynolds Auditorium" corporation bombarded the School Board and Superintendent with emails, suggesting, asking and pleading that some of those funds be used for this project. The decision was made to use those funds for other purposes.When you go to purchase bricks today, you assume each brick will be the same (quality-wise). That was not the case in 1919. Why? Because each brick was custom-made. Since each brick was custom-made, that means there was no such thing as quality control. Regrettably, some of the clay bricks were put into ovens that were too hot. The result was that the outsides of the bricks were a little burned, and the insides were not fully heated enough in order for the brick to remain strong and sturdy. The result was that those bricks would deteriorate over time. Keep in mind that the auditorium is essentially 100 years old. There are presently some bricks in the walls that have deteriorated so much that former Auditorium Manager Liz May can stick her hand through them. Below are some pictures of those bricks.
The School System had remedy proposals for the brick walls submitted by two reputable firms. The less expensive of the two proposals was enacted. The other proposal essentially makes fun of the proposal that is now being followed. The proposal that is now being followed merely makes sure the brick walls do not deteriorate any more than what they already have. Nothing has been done to address the issue of replacing these deteriorated bricks.
The bottom-line is fairly simple. The good news is: this auditorium will celebrate its 100th birthday on May 8, 2024. The bad news is: this is a 100-year-old building that is beginning to show its age. More than one professional theater manager has said that it appears this auditorium is where the Stevens Center was about 10 years ago. And FYI: the State has granted that facility $51 million to do a renovation and do the needed repairs. Presently, Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium has about $10 million worth of repairs and maintenance projects that need to be undertaken.
The RJR Alumni has created a new initiative: to raise funds to create an endowment for Richard J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium. Once created, there will be some funds made available EVERY YEAR to help pay for repairs and upgrades. One of the ways this initiative is being promoted is by offering folks the opportunity to permanently name a seat in the auditorium for a tax-deductible donation of $500. Folks can name as many seats as they wish. To learn more about this: click on the following image.
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