Where is the LaGuardia Bust?

10/30/2020

Mayor La Guardia speaks over WNYC on Grade A milk from Budget Room, 1940.

I came across this article from the Daily News newspaper (N.Y.) from October 4, 1969, about the renaming of the High School of Music and Art. The person instrumental in the school's creation, Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, had his name added on October 17, 1969.

Daily News (N.Y.), Oct. 4, 1969, page 7, by Richard Mathieu

Also mentioned in the news item is a bust of Mayor LaGuardia that was to be presented to the school back in 1969. To my knowledge, that bust doesn't exist.

The LaGuardia Arts website states, "In 1969, the Board of Education honored Mayor LaGuardia by naming the new building after him."* No bust mentioned.

I've checked throughout the 1969 or 1970 yearbooks but no mention there either. I can't find any evidence of the bust anywhere. Am I missing something?

Students from Music and Art give their experiences.

Jackie Zinman Goldberger, Class of '70, contributed these photos from her yearbook and said:

"It was renamed in October '69. Mayor Lindsay came up for the ceremony and some kids from Performing Arts came as well. There is a picture of me and Don Reeves and the Mayor on stage with Principal Klein in the auditorium in our '70 M & A yearbook."

Larry Satorius, Class of '71, said:

"They unveiled the bust of LaGuardia when they renamed it. I was there. Whether it stayed there. I don't know."

Do you know where the mystery bust is or have you ever heard of it? Let me know and I'll enter an update.

* https://www.laguardiahs.org/mission__history

7 Comments

Larry Sartoruus

10/30/2020 04:14:01 pm

The bust was in the Lobby of the M&A Campus as you came in the school. I believe that I saw it in the new school as well.

Claire M&A '77

10/30/2020 10:53:57 pm

Hi, when I was at M&A the bust in the lobby outside the auditorium was of Arturo Toscanini. It was moved to the Lincoln Center building when it opened. I've never seen the LaGuardia bust.

Barbara Yawnick Gray

2/12/2021 02:01:20 pm

When I was at M&A, the bust in the lobby was that of Beethoven. I wonder what happened to that one also?

Lloyd Green link

2/15/2021 11:28:36 am

When I was at M&A the bust in the lobby outside the auditorium was Arturo Toscanini. Was there a bust of Beethoven?

Lloyd Green '71

Ravenna

10/31/2020 11:42:35 am

I remember a statue of LaGuardia on LaGuardia Place downtown the block just south of NYU Library ...i think it was him walking though not just a bust.

Carol Fineberg

11/2/2020 02:36:45 pm

The bust was indeed installed in the lobby of M&A. I too was there as were Jackie and Don and Karen and Gladstone and a lot of other "kids" I could name! I will ask RAK and see whether he remembers what happened to it.
Love to you all!
Carol

Kara

11/3/2020 01:49:21 pm

Hi Carol!
I recall Toscanini’s bust, but was there a 2nd bust in lobby? I graduated 1969.

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Where is the LaGuardia Bust?

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Lloyd A. Green

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