Re: PC: Grand Central & 30th Street

[NES3524@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 10/3/98 9:57:49 AM EST, cpbelt -AT- ibm.net writes:

> I think the main problem is that few people today, especially the 20s-30s
>  age range, know the historic significance of anything.  Few people seem to
>  care about the past of our nation. World War II is being forgotten. Too
much
>  caught up in the present and future, acquiring money. I'm sure few walking
>  around the terminal really care about its history. This is the plight of
>  modern America.
>  
>  That being said, I think the restoration people failed in an opportunity to
>  educate the people about not only the terminal's history, but also failed
to
>  educate them about their city's and our nation's heritage. Such is the
>  tragedy of today's planners.

I was in Philadelphia's 30th Street station recently, with the first chance to
really look around and study it in many years.  It too has been nicely cleaned
up (but commercialized) since, say the '70s, and if you know anything at all
about RR history, you can quickly pick out some old remaining touches, like
little PRR keystone emblems in the metalwork, and a tuscan trim motif
throughout.  Like Grand Central however, almost everyone passing through is
apparently oblivious to the history of the place.  I wonder how many have even
heard of the PRR?  As for today's planners, I doubt most even have enough
knowledge or basic sense of history themselves to educate anyone.
Ned S.