New Cupola

Ridgewood High School has a new Cupola as of yesterday. It's clearly a close replica of the original. 

  

 I always thought the Cupola of Ridgewood High School provided a bit of style. I don't want to tread on Kurt's bailiwick of architecture but it does seem that these ornamental structures are usually omitted in new construction today; all in the hopes of saving money. In my perfect world I would prefer if a little more attention were paid to how things looked. I don't propose wasteful flourishes but I do like structures which make me want to pause and look at them. Like this picture of Old West at Dickinson College: 

 

This is a bit of the background to Old West and its Cupola:

West College, which became known as Old West in the early 20th century, traces its roots to February 1803, when Dickinson's nearly completed main building burned to the ground. In a bind, college trustees asked Benjamin Latrobe, recently appointed architect of the U.S. Capitol, to draw up plans for the new college hall, which he did free of charge. The 200th anniversary commemorates the date when the cornerstone for the building was laid. Old West did not host its first classes until November 1805 and housed its first undergraduates in 1810. Future U.S. President James Buchanan, class of 1809, was one of the earliest students to study within its walls.