Schools
L-W Central Auditorium Could Bear Retired Music Chair's Name
District 210 officials want to hear from the public about naming the space the Charles R. Stark Center for the Performing Arts.
NEW LENOX, IL — Lincoln-Way High School District 210 officials want residents' input over possibly naming one of its auditoriums after a music educator who was with the district for nearly a half-century. If approved, the auditorium at Linoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox would be called the Charles R. Stark Center for the Performing Arts a way to honor the retired chair of the music department.
Community members had approached the district's board of education about renaming L-W Central's auditorium, and board members had suggested bestowing that honor on a person who was still alive to appreciate the gesture, district spokeswoman Jennifer Hannon said. A committee will now gauge public reaction to naming the facility after Stark and report those findings to the full board, which will vote on it next month, Hannon said.
Stark worked in the school system from 1969 to 2015, serving as the D210's choir director and music department chairman. One of his most noteworthy achievements came in 1970 when he created Lincoln-Way's madrigal choral program in which students from the district's three schools dress in Renaissance-era attire and perform songs from that time.
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RELATED: L-W Madrigal Choirs Won't Sing At Churches; Good Move By D210?
When the D210 board briefly considered banning the long tradition of madrigal groups performing at area churches, Stark spoke at an August meeting to urge members to reverse the decision. The ban was lifted, but certain parameters will apply to those shows.
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Anyone with comments about renaming the L-W Central auditorium the Charles R. Stark Center for the Performing Arts can email Joseph Kosteck at joseph.kosteck@lw210.org. Emails must include the reasoning behind supporting or opposing the renaming.
RELATED: Lincoln-Way Madrigal Choirs Can Keep Singing At Churches
The renaming committee will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, and members would like comments by then. The board will likely vote on the issue Nov. 15.
Image via Lincoln-Way High School District 210
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