Letters to the Editor October 2019

Personal response to fall of St. Andrew’s Church

Dear Editor:

I have been grateful for your coverage of the controversy about the historic Saint Andrew’s church building and the neighborhood’s reaction about the decision to demolish it.

Here is a poem I wrote about my response to the fall of the structure. I know it reflects the feelings of others, perhaps even on both sides of the issue.

at the end of my street the tower still stands

piece by piece the body of the building falls

crumbling, like a body in hospice fails

after all prayers for survival, that all will be well

after all valiant efforts have failed

begins violent destruction

the tower still stands

removal of the cross

excruciating,

not without cries

the tower still stands

disfigurement and scarring

monotonous sounds of collapse

grinding away dusty debris

of brick and tile, glass and plaster,

pipes and organ gone

under moonlit sky the tower still stands

pain grows each day, day by day

neighbors and friends

bid farewell

during this long vigil

not faring well

the tower still stands

soon with a final swing of the crane

and a crashing rattle she will be gone

negative space where once beauty stood

the soul of a neighborhood diminished

yet in my mind

she will stand at the end of my street

in my heart

Marsha Foss

Vote Jessica Kopp onto Saint Paul School Board

Dear Editor:

Jessica Kopp, a longtime Hamline-Midway resident and current School Board candidate, deserves your vote in November for 1 of 4 open seats in the race.

I have worked closely with Jessica the past several years on a range of projects, and at every step along the way, her passion, smarts, and commitment to this city, our neighborhood, and especially our kids shines through.

Our neighborhood is home to many great local schools, and among them is Hamline Elementary, where Jessica led the PTO for many years and helped take the school to new heights. In her role as a leader and parent there, Jessica worked tirelessly on collaborations with the district, neighbors, and Hamline University to make the school more accessible, more innovative, and more responsive to students’ and their families’ needs.

Along the way, she has earned the respect of current School Board members and several important endorsements – among them Mitra Jalali Nelson and Jon Schumacher, Women Winning, Out Front, and the teacher’s union – because she’s proven her leadership, thoughtfulness, and drive over and over again. She has shown that her campaign priorities are not mere slogans, but are priorities she has been a successful advocate for in recent years at the grassroots and district levels.

I encourage my neighbors to join me in supporting Jessica Kopp for School Board on Nov. 5.

Jonathan Oppenheimer

Hamline-Midway Resident