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Dedication of the Edmund N. Bacon Library

The Ed Bacon Foundation and Chad Host Dedication Ceremony for the Edmund N. Bacon Library

With Ed Bacon in front, from left: Greg Amiriantz (Principal and CEO of CHAD), Rev. Paul James, B. Christopher Lee, Esq. (President of CHAD's Board of Trustees), Charles W. Cook, Ph.D., Richard Pagano (Chair of the Young CHADvocates Committee), Gregory Heller (President of the Ed Bacon Foundation). Click for enlargement.

On Friday, April 29, 2005 The Ed Bacon Foundation and the Charter High School for Architecture + Design (CHAD) hosted a dedication ceremony for the new Edmund N. Bacon Library. In the fall of 2004, Mr. Bacon, Philadelphia's former city planning director, who is now 95 years old, donated his personal collection of several thousand books to CHAD. Prior to receiving Mr. Bacon's generous gift, the school had no library. The books cover a variety of subjects from planning and architecture to art, music and philosophy.

Over the past several months, The Young CHADvocates Committee, a group of young professionals committed to supporting CHAD, indexed and arranged the books on shelving donated by Philadelphia-based construction company, L.F. Driscoll, Co.

The ceremony took place on the fourth floor of the school, located at 7th and Sansom Streets in Philadelphia. Over a hundred spectators were present, including students from the school, members of CHAD's faculty and Board of Trustees, the media, and a host of invited guests. The Ed Bacon Foundation was represented by board members Gregory Heller, Andrew Hohns, Alexander "Pete" Hoskins, and Hilda Bacon, who is also Mr. Bacon's daughter.

The ceremony began with a stirring rendition of God Bless America, sung by Sharon Mitchell, a senior at the school. Richard Pagano, the Chair of the Young CHADvocates Committee then gave opening remarks and recognized the various contributors who made the library possible. Next, B. Christopher Lee, Esq., the President of CHAD's Board of Trustees spoke on behalf of the Board and read a formal greeting from Governor Edward G. Rendell. Greg Amiriantz, the school's principal and CEO, then spoke and made the school's dedication of the library. Gregory Heller, President of the Ed Bacon Foundation dedicated Mr. Bacon's gift, and presented a brass sign for the library's door, on behalf of the Foundation.

According to Mr. Heller, "Nine months ago, Ed Bacon and I sat down to figure out what we would do with these books. Today, it is incredible to look back and know that we could not have found a better home for them. Ed Bacon is the man who built our Philadelphia of today, and these books will be the foundation for educating and developing the next generation of designers, who will shape our city of the future."

The speeches were followed by an interview with Mr. Bacon, moderated by Charles W. Cook, Ph.D., a Philadelphia-based builder/contractor and former President of the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. Mr. Bacon was lively and emphatic, as he discussed a number of his past projects and current planning ideas, stressing to the students the importance of vision. Following the interview, Rev. Paul James, a CHAD parent, made closing remarks.