Man on the street: What should be done with Pennell?
By Denise Duda

Gray--The Monument Newspaper went to the people to ask them what they think of the Pennell issue. [see related story, "AG says no go to reconsideration"]. Each person was asked two questions, "What do you think should be done with the Pennell Institute and the Lab?" and, "Do you know where Pennell is located?"

At the New Gloucester post office, Debby Parks, Code Enforcement Officer for New Gloucester answered, "I think it should be retained by the town as a historical property and the use should be determined by the citizens in that town. Ditto for the Lab. Pennell is right on Route 100 before the intersection. It's the big beautiful clock tower, a landmark for the area."

At Cook's Hardware in Gray, Jack Kokocinski from New Gloucester replied, "I'm not sure" but knew that the Institute was, "Right up the street."

Dana Walker of Walker's Tire in Gray responded, "I don't think we need a new town office for people who only work half a day. Try going up there at two in the afternoon to get anything done. They close at 1:30 on some days. Why do they need a bigger building to still work half a day. I realize the downstairs is tight but that school is too big to be utilized for that purpose. What will they do with the existing building? Couldn't they take over the old post office building without taking over the school? I don't know all the details. If it belongs to the school system the town can't do anything without legally getting it transferred. Sounds like a legal mess, typical legal mess. It's hard to have an objective opinion when you only hear what people want you to hear anyway. Help me to understand how to make a decision; tell me the pros and cons. Convince me."

Tim Wilkinson from the Dry Mills area in Gray was at the Gray Post Office, and said that he had a very personal connection with the Institute. "I went there for eighth grade, freshman and sophomore years. My mother graduated from Pennell in 1934. When I look back to high school I always think of Pennell. For sort of sentimental reasons I'd like to see Pennell stay there. It could be utilized nicely for a grade school or town hall. Traffic's okay there, good in and out. I'd hate to see it go. I didn't have much to do with the lab- I think the library was there. My cousin Sue Austin went there as well. She might have something to say about it too."

Rep. Austin did. She said she attended Pennell on a short term basis while Russell School was having an addition put on the building and later when the school system was dealing with town growth. At that time the ninth grade was separated from the rest of the high school and housed at Pennell.

Austin said, "I'm hopeful that there is an answer to utilizing those buildings that have been a part of our history. We want to preserve the architecture of one of the very few landmarks that we have in our village center. Through the work that I have seen supported by Community Block Grants at the state level, many communities are realizing success stories of this nature."

Outside the Bottle Barn, Ernie Merchant from Gray responded, "One of my kids went to that school- it's right on Main street. They've wasted a lot of money and it still ain't going anywhere. They should go by the Pennell will. It was donated for educational purposes. They should keep it for education. Its one of the historic buildings in town. The Lab they should keep up for science projects - what it was put there for. If they had kept it in good repair it would still be good for school."

Several people from New Gloucester declined to comment because they felt that it was a Gray town issue. Other people from both towns felt that they didn't really have enough information to form an opinion on the Pennell issue.