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 Let's Talk
Denise Rolark Barnes
Columnist Page
Friday, November 26, 2004; Page 15
It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye
The City Museum of Washington, D.C. will officially close to public exhibits on Monday, November 29, 2004. Located at Mount Vernon Square in the fully renovated Carnegie Library, just across the street from the new Washington Convention Center, the Museum will soon only remain open for rental space and for research at the Kiplinger Research Library housed inside.
Who would have ever guessed that less than two years from its opening in May, 2003, that the Washington Historical Society’s mission to “promote knowledge of the past for better understanding of the future,” would fall short of reaching its goal. The museum served as the only institution that told the story of Washington, D.C. and its people. The lack of visitors and resources that caused the museum to close has added it to the list of people, institutions and events that have become simple joyful memories of the days gone by.
The City Museum was the District’s attempt to demonstrate to visitors to the District of Columbia that this is a city beyond the monuments, the Capitol and the White House. It is a city with a rich history including great people who worked to build the nation’s capital. Their efforts were not meant for national politicians to simply talk about a place where great laws are made by people who pass through periodically to make important decisions. It is the home to many great people and whose decisions have also made the District a great place to live and work.
As a native Washingtonian, I have personally said “goodbye” to numerous people and places that made D.C. the special place it is for me. In the late 60s, I said good bye to hand-dancing and hello to dancing two feet apart with my back to my partner instead of holding hands or in each other’s arms. I also said goodbye to Benning Elementary School where one of my favorite teachers taught me in the third grade. Where Benning stood is now the grassy knoll that is part of the landscape for the Benning Road Metro Station.
In the 90s I said good bye to Keene Elementary School, where I attended the fourth through sixth grades because one of those school superintendents said it, along with many other older schools, needed to be closed in order to save the school system money. Keene and Rabaut Junior High School, also my alma mater, were closed about the same time.
As fate would have it, Dr. Lawrence Graves, one of the greatest principals the D.C Public Schools has ever had, invited me to join him at Rabaut’s last graduation ceremony to serve as the graduation speaker. It was a proud moment for me, but a sad one as well, because once again, I had to say “goodbye.” Who would have ever thought that the school named after the congressman who added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance, would be one of the first schools closed after becoming one of the last schools built in D.C. in 1967.
Washingtonians joined in saying goodbye to Kann’s, Lansburgh’s, Woodie's and Garfinkel’s Department Stores. We said goodbye to the Senators, the U Street Farmer’s Market, the Harambee House and the Howard Inn. We said goodbye to the Kalorama Skating Rink, the Kennedy and other neighborhood theatres, and to Hot Shoppes restaurants (their milk shakes were the best). We also said goodbye to The Washington Star, The Daily News, The Capital Spotlight, The New Observer, WUST and WOOK (remember Teen-a-rama?).
Inevitably, we regretfully said goodbye to Mayor Walter Washington, Councilmembers John Wilson and David Clark, along with Reverends David Eaton, Ernest Gibson and Madam Lucille Banks Robinson Miller. Sadly, we will also say goodbye soon to the entire congregation of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
Yes, the goodbyes are numerous and constant. But, it was the mission of the D.C. City Museum to keep those memories alive through exhibitions, special programs and storytellers.
While the 450,000 visitors and the $1 million needed to keep the museum open never arrived, Washingtonians should remain hopeful that the museum will soon reopen thanks to the members of the Washington Historical Society who have not said goodbye to their dream. It is evident that they must go back to the drawing board. But, this time, when the museum reopens, every Washingtonian who understands what it means to say, “It’s a D.C. thang!” can say hello to an institution whose purpose is to collect and preserve the rich history of Washington, D.C.
For Denise Rolark Barnes send email to drbarnes@washingtoninformer.com
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