Students looking to print homework assignments or receive prompt writing tutoring may have been surprised to find that Room 249 no longer provides such resources. Long a staple of the English hallway, the writing center has been closed and now serves as a classroom.
Uses of the writing center were three-fold. Students could seek assistance from peer consultants, study, or simply print out various materials. As an open-access study-hall, the center also served as a meeting area for several clubs. For instance, RM’s award-winning literary magazine, Fine Lines, previously held its layout sessions within the computer lab.
The writing center was open throughout the week during lunch hours. As such, students had ready access to its resources whether prior to a deadline or on an ordinary school day. Senior Sue Lee stated, “When I had a late night or no time to work on homework, the writing center was a great resource to finish assignments and print out papers during lunch.”
The closing of the writing center in Room 249 was necessary in order to accommodate for the influx of new students at RM (a similar measure was taken with the newly installed portable classroom in the parking lot). Ms. Holgash, a compositional assistant who formerly was at the helm of the writing center, said, “It has been necessary to find space and classrooms previously used for other purposes.”
The two computer labs in the English hallway, including the writing center, were thus converted into classrooms. Junior Keira DiGaetano expressed, “I love the writing center. I want the writing center back.”
However, not all students took advantage of the services furnished by the writing center. Ms. Holgash pointed out, “Many students benefitted from this service but there were also many who could have benefited had they asked for assistance in the writing center.” Unlike in the media center, which charges a fee per printed page, printing at the writing center was free of charge. Students scrambling to piece together homework or add final touches to essays often found a welcome support system in Room 249.
The cornerstone of the writing center was the peer-consultant service, offered to any student who wanted assistance with writing assignments. Ms. Holgash described, “The consultant would never rewrite the essay, but would help with grammar, mechanics, organization, revision, and insure that the student addressed the prompt. The consultant would help determine strategies for revision, and make sure there was a logical argument if necessary.”
She continued, “The peer consultants sat at a table in the front of the room ready to help anyone who asked for help.” Senior and former peer consultant Tadhg Larabee added, “I thought it was a valuable service, and although sometimes the flow of people was weak, we were able to help a lot of people.”
Although honor societies and some clubs offer tutoring services for students, the writing center was unique in its centrality. Sophomore Isaac Lim stated, “I found it very convenient that it was just right there for me, not that many people were there so I didn’t have to wait very long, and it was free.”
But the writing center does not need an obituary; administrators have been working to reinstall it at a new location. Ms. Holgash stated, “After discussion with the RM administration, Ms. Alexander, and Ms. Wilson, it has been decided that the writing center will be in the Media Center but only on Mondays and Wednesdays during lunch. On these days, there will be no charge for printing during lunch if students are working on the desktops assigned to the Writing Center.”
Even so, the reestablishment of the writing center has not yet been set in stone. Ms. Holgash also said, “The idea is fluid at this point and I’m sure we will be working out kinks and making changes throughout the year, until we have it as close to the best situation as possible to assist as many students as we can.”
The recent closing of the writing center acutely demonstrates the limited resources and space available at RM. However, faculty members have been working to get an adapted version of the writing center back on its feet. RM students will likely see some iteration of the well-loved study hub in the near future.
