Oldham School Building Committee Grapples with Defective Tile Work and Construction Delays-August 7, 1963

Architect Refuses to Accept 1,100 Square Feet of Exterior Tile at Special Meeting Addressing 22 Construction Issues

Several eleventh-hour construction and administrative hurdles were tackled by the Oldham School Building Committee during a special meeting called last night, headlined by a major dispute over defective masonry. Of prime importance among a list of 22 agenda items was a contentious problem involving the removal of roughly 1,100 square feet of exterior tile. Architect George H. Stoner advised the committee that he formally refused to accept the tile work, characterizing the installation as “poor workmanship.” Stoner explained that the root of the issue stemmed from the wall surface being improperly prepared before the tiles were laid, violating protocol since the tile firm was instructed never to proceed unless the foundation was in acceptable condition.

Prime contractor Edward Goverman Jr. of Canton stated he would be willing to tear down the flawed tiles himself, but noted that a professional tile setter would be required to redo the installation. However, union complications threatened to stall remediation; Goverman warned that because the original subcontractor was unionized, other union personnel currently working on the school might refuse to touch the repair job until all ongoing phases of construction are completed. Architect Stoner warned that the standoff could potentially trigger legal action between the prime contractor and the tile subcontractor, noting that he had requested industry experts to inspect the site. The Building Committee declined to dictate a solution to the contractor, demanding an immediate fix while expressing uncertainty over whether the extensive repairs could be wrapped up before the school’s September opening.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger