Murals enliven library walls

Photo

By Denise Dick

POLAND — Color, science and history cover the walls of McKinley Elementary School’s library.

Artist Tom Antonishak, a township resident, created five murals on wooden panels that cover three walls of the room. The other two walls will be done next year, likely with themes from literature.

“Every time you come in here, you notice something different that you didn’t see before,” Principal Ed Kempers said.

The public can view the murals at an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the school.

Five years ago, the school district connected McKinley with the middle school to house them under the same roof and added a new cafeteria for both schools.

McKinley’s old cafeteria was turned into a media center/library. The room works well in its new purpose, but the walls were bare, Kempers said.

He and Anna Pappas, who works in the library, wanted something to decorate the walls.

“We saved money from our book fairs,” the principal said.

The school’s PTO kicked in some funds to total about $5,000.

He called Antonishak for suggestions, and the artist, who counts the statues in Peterson Park among his works, said he wanted to do it.

“I moved to Poland in 1986, and my children grew up in the Poland school system,” Antonishak said. “I wanted to do something for the schools, for the community.”

Pappas and Kempers thought the artwork should focus on academic standards taught at the schools. That’s why one mural features local history. Ohio history is spotlighted in three murals, and the fifth includes U.S. history and world geography.

Antonishak worked on the murals in his studio before installing them at the school. They’re oil on wood panels so they can be moved if the school wants.

The community mural includes a portrait of Superintendent Dr. Robert Zorn, the former Poland Academy, the Old Stone Tavern and a young and an older President William McKinley, who spent much of his youth in Poland.

One includes eight U.S. presidents with ties to the Buckeye State. Another shows the faces of seven historical figures from U.S. history with an Ohio connection including author Harriet Beecher Stowe, inventor Thomas Edison and American Indian leader Tecumseh.

The last Ohio history mural includes the Wright brothers and astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong.

The largest mural, which covers most of the library’s west wall, features an opened book, representative of the space, with various scenes sprouting from the pages.

A window frames the expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark guided by Sacagawea.

One side shows scenes from early history. The other includes arts and science items, an iPhone and an abacus among them.

Students give the artwork high marks.

“I was surprised when I first saw them,” said sixth-grader Noah Reed, 12.

There were posters on the walls before, but they were still pretty plain. The murals bring color, Noah said.

Sixth-grader Manny Solis, 12, agreed.

“I think the murals are good because they made the library more comfortable and cozy,” he said. “Before it was really plain with no color to it.”

Austin Wilson, also 12 and in sixth grade, said the murals bring fun into the room.

“Before it was just plain and no fun,” he said.

Sixth-graders Angelisa Melnek and Madison Christie, both 12, pointed to the largest mural as their favorite. “I like it all,” Madison said.

Fifth-grader Darren Goodin, 11, picked the mural with eight U.S. presidents as the one he likes best.

Sixth-grader Allison Kowal, 12, likes the mural showing Poland history.

“It shows what Poland looked like” and President McKinley as a young man, Allison said. “I learned that he went through some of the buildings here.”

The original plan for the library included windows on one side to enable the children to see the outdoors. Those plans were scrapped because of economics, though.

“This is much better than any actual window,” Pappas said.

denise_dick@vindy.com