The Board of the Historical Society of Morro Bay has a very deep interest in the old El Morro Elementary School and site. There are at least 3 buildings on that site that would be qualified for historic preservation if the City of Morro Bay had the proper ordinance (we’re working on that).
The preservation of the school buildings with or without an ordinance is our abiding concern. They are remnants of Morro Bay’s past that our community cannot afford to lose now or in the future. These buildings include the original one room school house, the main school building with the bell tower and theatre, the midcentury modern building adorned with the striking butterfly effect gabled roof line and importantly the building where Botso Korisheli started the San Luis Obispo Children’s Symphony and educated countless county children in the art of music including renowned Conductor, Kent Nagano.
Our motto is “Preservation and Progress,” and those concepts can apply fully to the project that the SLCUSD is beginning to outline in public.
The Historical Society of Morro Bay knows that no one can fully support OR oppose a project without knowing enough to be informed of the options and their consequences. We hope that SLCUSD will be going through a transparent public process to bring all this to light. We hope that the process includes open and full conversations with the City of Morro Bay, the Morro Bay Community at community forums and the Historical Society of Morro Bay as an organization. Given that the SLCUSD appears to be quite far down the road in the plan, at least conceptually, it is a little surprising that obvious stakeholders like HSMB have not been consulted.
For the Greater Morro Bay Community:
Please contact the Historical Society of Morro Bay with any stories or photos that you may have from El Morro Elementary School. You may contact us directly at Historicalmorrobay.org/contact or on Facebook at Historical Society of Morro Bay.
Glenn Silloway, Bill Fagol, Alice Kolb,
Garry Johnson, Joan Solu, Susan Stewart
Historical Society Board Members