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Topping Off the New Academic Center
Westminster School faculty gathered at the construction site of the new academic center June 4 to celebrate the “topping off” of the building. The ceremony celebrated the installation of the final and highest piece of steel.
Two American flags, a Westminster banner and a small pine tree were placed on the beam, which members of the faculty and staff had also signed. Westminster students had signed other beams prior to their installation.
Headmaster Graham Cole explained to those gathered that marking this point in the construction process is a custom that stretches back to around 700 A.D. when Scandinavians topped construction projects of new halls with sheaves of grain. It is believed this tradition was brought to America by immigrant Norwegian ironworkers during the late 1800s. The ritual has evolved through the years and now celebrates the installation of the final and highest piece of structural steel on a project. A small evergreen tree, a tribute to the grain originally used, typically adorns the final beam and has the dual significance of honoring the safe completion of the outer frame and representing good fortune to future inhabitants of the building. Over time, American construction workers have added new traditions to the ancient ceremony. Now, in addition to the small pine tree, an American flag is often placed on the beam.
“What an exciting day for Westminster!” exclaimed Headmaster Cole at the ceremony. “This fantastic project has reached a significant milestone today, and I thank all of you for attending as we celebrate the ‘topping off’ of our new academic center. With that in mind, today we celebrate not only the superb effort of the construction team — Joe Gitterman, Colin Flinn, trustees, and our own Tom Earl, Peter Anderson, Bill Philip and Greg Marco — with a host of able architects from Gund Partnership and builders from BB&E, but also the realization of the vision of many people in the community as we make this building a reality. By enhancing our academic facilities, we strengthen arguably the most important element of our operations and mission. So hurrah for Westminster and thanks to everyone who has made this building possible, especially the steel workers who came out on this wet day when they would not ordinarily be working to make this happen.”
Construction on the new academic center began in October 2007. The building is scheduled to open by the start of school in fall 2009.
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Two American flags, a Westminster banner and a small pine tree were placed on the beam, which members of the faculty and staff had also signed. Westminster students had signed other beams prior to their installation.
Headmaster Graham Cole explained to those gathered that marking this point in the construction process is a custom that stretches back to around 700 A.D. when Scandinavians topped construction projects of new halls with sheaves of grain. It is believed this tradition was brought to America by immigrant Norwegian ironworkers during the late 1800s. The ritual has evolved through the years and now celebrates the installation of the final and highest piece of structural steel on a project. A small evergreen tree, a tribute to the grain originally used, typically adorns the final beam and has the dual significance of honoring the safe completion of the outer frame and representing good fortune to future inhabitants of the building. Over time, American construction workers have added new traditions to the ancient ceremony. Now, in addition to the small pine tree, an American flag is often placed on the beam.
“What an exciting day for Westminster!” exclaimed Headmaster Cole at the ceremony. “This fantastic project has reached a significant milestone today, and I thank all of you for attending as we celebrate the ‘topping off’ of our new academic center. With that in mind, today we celebrate not only the superb effort of the construction team — Joe Gitterman, Colin Flinn, trustees, and our own Tom Earl, Peter Anderson, Bill Philip and Greg Marco — with a host of able architects from Gund Partnership and builders from BB&E, but also the realization of the vision of many people in the community as we make this building a reality. By enhancing our academic facilities, we strengthen arguably the most important element of our operations and mission. So hurrah for Westminster and thanks to everyone who has made this building possible, especially the steel workers who came out on this wet day when they would not ordinarily be working to make this happen.”
Construction on the new academic center began in October 2007. The building is scheduled to open by the start of school in fall 2009.
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