Taconic Students Fix Historic Eagle Flag-Topper From Veterans Park
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The copper eagle that was perched on the top of the flag pole in Veterans Memorial Park on South Street lost a wing. But, thanks to Taconic High School students, it is ready to soar again.
It was at a Veterans Day ceremony two years ago when City Councilor Melissa Mazzeo looked up and saw something was off. Veterans Service Officer James Clark took out some binoculars and sure enough, the copper eagle only had one wing.
"I imagine what happened at that time was the way the flag whips, it got caught on one of the wings and overtime tore it off. It was completely missing. It wasn't even around," Clark said.
In the fall, the Fire Department brought over the ladder truck and removed the eagle, replacing it with a ball at the top of the flagpole. Clark then got in touch with metal fabrication instructor Dave Pemble to see if there was anything that could be done to restore it.
"That thing is over 70 years old and it was handmade, it was pounded into form. It was a phenomenal piece of work. We didn't want to not give it a shot and Dave and his team took on the challenge," Clark said.
One of Pemble's students Janayah Burgess has been turning out a lot of creative pieces of work. Pemble knew she'd be the perfect person to head the repair work.
"Everyone in the shop knows me to make creative things. I've made metal roses and crates with designs on them. When we got this repair job, they thought I'd be a good person to do it," Burgess said.
She assessed the situation and developed a plan. She took off the other wing, traced it to get all of the details, and used that as a template. Sky Sawyer in the carpentry program crafted wood templates for Burgess to use.
Burgess then used copper and pounded four wings into shape — two for the bottoms, two for the tops. But she had to be gentle to ensure the details in the feathers remained.
"I took the bird and I repaired small cracks I saw in there. I put the wings on by soldering them. I repainted the whole thing by sending it to auto body," Burgess said.
Alexandria Poulton in the auto body shop sanded the eagle down and gave it multiple coats of paint.
In total, the students spent some class time over six weeks to restore it. On Monday, Clark picked it up and drove over to the Fire Department for it to be placed on top of the flag pole again.
"The goal was to get this back up by Memorial Day if it could be saved," Clark said.
Pemble said the project was unique and more challenging that a lot of the projects that come to the shop. There were challenges using copper instead of other metals, challenges ensuring the details remain, and challenges with making sure the entire piece would fit back together with new wings.
"It was challenging all the way around. Working with copper isn't the easiest thing. It is soft but you have to solder it. You can't weld it like the kind of welding we normally do in here," Pemble said.
But Burgess is the one Pemble trusted to take it on; "She was the one to give that project to. I knew she would stick with it, take ownership of it," Pemble said.
"It speaks volumes for the program here and the kids that are coming out of here," Clark said.
On Memorial Day, there will be an eagle sitting on top of the flagpole. And every time Burgess stops or drives by, she'll know that eagle is sitting there because of her work.
"I knew it would be a challenge because of the condition it came as but I'm always up for a challenge," Burgess said. "I'm actually really surprised with how it came out. I didn't know how the wings would sit or if they were too heavy for the thin material that is already used for the body. But all in all, it came out really well."
Pemble said it is community projects like this that both staff and students enjoy taking on.
"We love to do stuff that is community-related and the kids do, too. She's going to be proud of that. When he puts that back up, I told her every time you go down there you will see it," Pemble said.
Burgess will be entering her senior year at Taconic in the fall and she has really taken to metal working. She said in the future, she'll be looking for every opportunity to do more.
"I want to do welding for a long time. I plan on doing all types of different welding throughout different careers and taking any opportunities that are offered," Burgess said.
Tags: community service, good news, student project, Taconic High, veterans memorial,
