Public Art of the Week

In 1943, while their brothers and fathers were overseas fighting in WWII, students at the massive and elegant Sexton High School began their first day of classes in the brand-new building.

It had to be a glorious day. It wasn’t just a school — it was an architectural gem glittering with art wall tiles and dramatic embellishments completed by a world-class sculptor.

The building, designed and constructed by the architectural firm of Warren S. Holmes, remains imposing with its eight-story art deco-style clock tower anchoring the north end of the high school built to accommodate over 2,000 students.

The main foyer was elegant, reminiscent of the country’s Great Gatsby mansions with oak paneling and benches.

Decorative tiles line the hallways and on staircases where cartoonish sports characters, sea creatures, the lion and the mouse mix serendipitously with tiles representing Greek myths.

You can also find inlaid tiles of the State Seal of Michigan and others representing theater, chemistry and home economics.

The noted sculptor Corrado Parducci executed 60 thematic relief carvings on the exterior, including a dozen that flank the main entrance. The reliefs are semi abstract and cover the many curriculum offerings, such as typing, choral, physics and astronomy.

The school’s north end, which houses the auditorium, features a Punch and Judy relief. Toward the back is a relief of a piano-player teacher backed by a choral group.

Parducci’s sculptures grace scores of buildings across Michigan, including some relief carvings on the AT&T building on Capitol Avenue in downtown Lansing.

The Westside Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a rare walking tour of the interior and exterior of Sexton on Thursday, June 12, which includes the auditorium, the sports hall of fame, the historic rotunda and the library.  The tour begins at 4 p.m. and costs $10. To register, visit forms.gle/BpiPBKtzYBY3mDVF8.

BILL CASTANIER

Public Art of the Week is a new feature that rotates with Eyesore of the Week. If you have an idea for either, please email eye@lansingcitypulse.com or call (517) 999-6704.