As one of the most secluded and outdated halls, the T-wing needs an extreme makeover.
The T-wing was built in the mid-1900s, but only minor changes have been made to alter its design since. It is now primarily used for the language department, and although they are grateful for having their own hall, many complaints have arisen.
One of the major negativities of the T-wing is the lockers. The T-wing lockers are located in the southeastern tip of Carlmont, also known as the San Carlos portion of Carlmont, and they are significantly further from the main classrooms than other lockers. With only a seven-minute passing period, getting books for the next class can be a challenge.
“It’s really difficult having a locker in T-hall. It’s so far away from most of my other classes that are on the other side of the school, so I don’t really use it. Even though I have to keep all my books in my backpack, it’s better than walking back to my locker. Overall, my locker’s pretty much useless,” junior Bobby Lyon said.
The lockers are not the only negative feature of the T-wing. The classrooms are also a major setback of the hall, being significantly smaller than other classrooms around the school.
“I think that the classrooms are too cramped. Even with only 25 students in my Spanish class, the classroom in T-wing feels smaller than other classrooms around the school,” sophomore Thomas Chin said.
The main feature that differs the T-wing from other halls is that most of the classrooms in the T-wing lack an air conditioning unit. The lack of air conditioning in the classrooms is very inconvenient for the teachers and the students, especially in early fall and late spring when temperatures outside can reach above 90 degrees, causing the classrooms to act like an “oven” for the entire day.
For the teachers who have classes in the T-wing, the lack of air conditioning can serve as a major annoyance and hindrance while teaching.
With no air conditioning in some of the classrooms, the only way to cool the classrooms is with self-bought fans, which can cost about $30. In addition, the fans produce lots of noise, which can distract a class from the lesson.
“The fans definitely affect the overall environment of the classroom. I think it mainly distracts the students when they are taking a test or listening to a lesson. Also, if the fans break, the money’s coming out of my pocket,” Spanish teacher Madeleine Fox said.
With the T-wing being one of the oldest halls on campus, it is expected to be remodeled soon. Administrators have said that if the financial aid increases, plans for a remodeled T-wing will be further discussed.
“I think it’s the perfect time for the T-wing to get remodeled because the U-hall was just remodeled. The bigger rooms will also compliment the increasing number of new students coming into Carlmont and it’ll [remodeled T-wing] give a new look to the school too,” sophomore Samantha Pipkin said.
