Displayed and hidden all over our school are many pieces of stunning artwork of all kinds, many of unique and fascinating origin and design.
In 1938 the collection was started by the former Honor Society adviser, Isabella Sanders. Paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, furniture and more make up the extensive collection. A good deal of the collection was donated from local artist and wealthy woman Margaret Remington Dingle. When Dingle passed away in 1950, her husband made a trust fund in her name for the school, part of which was used to purchase numerous pieces of artwork. Another big donor was The Findlay Art Gallery that is located in Chicago. Since Wally Findlay and his sister Helen were big donors for many years, the school named the library after them. There are many more local families and artists who have also donated artwork to our school, including the Swift family and more.
Currently, 11,055 pieces of artwork, furniture and manuscripts are catalogued. Former art teacher John Fisher oversees all the collection and donations. Fisher even said he has taken it upon himself to start doing any repairs that are needed for the artwork. Fisher stated that his favorite parts of the collection are the ones by local artists and the ones located on 900 made by former OTHS students.
By now we have all seen the Indian mosaics on the front of the main building. The artist of that piece was Henry Chapman Mercer. According to a “Harvard Magazine,” Mercer was a “leading ceramicist of the arts and crafts movement.” Mercer is known for his ceramics, tile making and the amazing castle he built for himself to not only live in, but also as a place to show off his tile and print collection. The castle is still open for guided tours in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and there is a museum dedicated to Mercer. The mosaics that are displayed on our school were purchased around the time of the building being built. English teacher Mark Cartwright said, “It’s exciting to have on our building.”
Our school is full of history that is overlooked by many. Understanding the unique, historic parts of our school can make all the difference in enjoying your experience while attending here.
