PTSA aims to move coat of arms

The PTSA plans to bring Blair's coat of arms, currently located on the old building at the intersection of Dale Drive and Wayne Avenue, to the current building.

The shield and helmet symbol, made of ceramic tiles cast in concrete, has been the Blair coat of arms since the school opened in 1925.

PTSA Co-President David Ottalini plans to ask mosaic specialists to look at the coat of arms later this month to estimate the cost and determine the feasibility of relocating the mosaic. Because the tiles are securely fixed on the exterior wall of the old building, removing them could damage the side of the building or the original coat of arms. "If it's going to destroy the coat of arms by taking it down, we won't do that," Ottalini said. "I am hopeful that we can have it taken down safely."

Ottalini said the crest promotes school spirit. "The coat of arms is the source of pride for a school," he said. The crest was designed by 1929 Blair alumnus Bernard Linkins and constructed in 1986.

Ottalini hopes to draft a plan by the end of the school year that will designate funds to transfer the coat of arms. The plan would also delineate how to move the crest from the old Blair and where to install the coat of arms on the new building.

The coat of arms was installed incorrectly, according to Peter Tabri, a mosaic specialist who examined the piece in 2004. He explained that the red and white tiles were placed so close to each other that the grout cracked from expanding and contracting with changes in the weather.

Tabri believes it would be difficult to move the coat of arms safely. "No one will guarantee that none of the tiles will break," he said. He added that he is willing to help remove the coat of arms from the building, but he suggested that Blair hire an artist to design a new coat of arms if the original cannot be transferred.

Ottalini said that while a new coat of arms could be a "great alternative," the PTSA hopes to see the original coat of arms on the current building. "We want to preserve it, and we want to bring it home," he said.