St Anthony’s Primary School which houses students from Nursery to Class 5 and now has close to 800 students is soon to be demolished and replaced by a four-storeyed structure. Reasons given by the institutional head is that at the time of its construction 123 years ago the building was never meant to accommodate so many students and structurally too it has been subjected to a lot of wear and tear that cannot be remedied by repurposing the building. The century plus school building is not just an educational institution of brick and mortar but a historical artefact that is linked to the history of Shillong. While realists may consider a building nothing more than a series of walls covered with a roof that protects whatever is inside from external elements, past pupils of the school and many others who value heritage buildings are mourning the impending loss of a slice of Meghalaya’s history. Space in Shillong city is a huge constraint hence the custodians of St Anthony’s School feel that it would serve a greater purpose if the new school building is planned in a manner to accommodate the growing number of students rather than give in to emotional attachments.
Going by the comments of the present custodians of the School, they too mourn the loss of a landmark building and the fact that a new structure will replace it. Anyone born after the demolition of the school will not know what the iconic building looked like. For many others though, buildings across the world have secured a place in the hearts of people, often for reasons that are not entirely explainable. This same nostalgia is now making the alumni and the parents of the present batch of primary school students regret the demolition because it means erasing history. Architects opine that repurposing an old building is always more sustainable than demolishing it. Using a tectonic approach to architecture allows buildings to be rehabilitated in a way that respects their original structure, while improving their energy performance and meeting the needs of their occupants. Besides, for several individuals and communities worldwide, historic buildings create a sense of place. They capture a moment in history and serve as a powerful reminder of who we are and where we came from.
While plans to demolish the grand old St Anthony’s School is taking shape observers have questioned the silence of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Meghalaya Chapter. INTACH was founded in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India. Today INTACH is recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations, with over 228 Chapters across the country. In the past 40 years, INTACH has pioneered the conservation and preservation of both natural and built heritage and intangible heritage as well. And what about the Meghalaya Heritage Act which had earlier identified heritage buildings like Tara Ghar among others? Pragmatism must be tempered by a sense of history. Not every old building needs to be pulled apart. Some are reminders of unwritten history.
