Thomas Sprigg Wootton must be rolling over in his grave. Dr. Wootton was a famous for the role he played in the Revolutionary War, and is credited for founding Montgomery County. You can read about his background here, from the website of the high school in Rockville that bears his name. From the article in Wootton's Common Sense:
Wootton was an ardent Revolutionary during the war against the British Crown. When George III of the British Empire tightened his control over Boston after the Boston Tea Party, Wootton was one of the ten men to present a resolution to Annapolis to cut off all commercial ties with Britain.The school is so proud of its historical connection. Wootton students pride themselves on being called "Patriots," and proudly wear the school colors of red, white, and blue.
Throughout the Revolutionary War, he collaborated with Colonel Zadok Magruder in organizing neighborhoods for the war effort. Magruder High School in Rockville is named after the Revolutionary Magruder.
Beyond his contributions to the fight for independence, Wootton continued to play an active role in the development of the new country, helping to draft Maryland’s Constitution and the state’s Bill of Rights.
So - what would Dr. Wootton think of his Patriots pending installation of a Field Turf Tarkett athletic field?
He would be very sad, and not simply because his school did a no bid contract and thus likely spent more money than necessary for the plastic grass. Field Turf Tarkett is a member of the Tarkett group, a French company. From their website:
Headquartered in Nanterre, France, Tarkett is owned by two shareholders – the Deconinck family (heirs of the Allibert family) and active in the Group for many generations and private equity funds affiliated with KKR (50%) since January 2007.
So, not only is the company privately owned, its not even American.
How ironic that a school in the heart of the Nations Capital, named for a revolutionary war hero, doesn't buy American.C'est dommage. What's next? Will the Wootton Marching Band play La Marseillaise at football games too?
