Catwalk Graffiti - A Visual Tour

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The catwalks above the auditorium of Severna Park High School were off limits to students without express direction and supervision of an adult staff member, which means it became rite of passage to leave your mark when nobody was looking. And over 57 years, plenty of students did just that.

For students on tech crew and particularly those working on lighting, admission to the cats was particularly special. You had to be trusted to handle yourself well, conquer any fears of heights, and get accustomed to working in a strange and potentially dangerous environment. While the walking platforms were built atop the sturdy steel beams that supported the ceiling and roof, you still had to learn what surfaces would support your body weight. In recent years, that training also included proper use of full body safety harnesses, shock absorbing lanyards, and tethering techniques. It wasn't for everyone.

After we finished packing up the auditorium for the move to the new building, I took the opportunity to photograph some of the catwalk graffiti for posterity. In a few months, these photos (and others like them) will be the only visual record of those who ventured to make their mark. If you've got any pictures of additional graffiti to add to the set, send 'em my way!

To the catwalks...

Climb the rickety-sounding ladder (seen in the center just below the "CAC" tag) and step atop a make-shift floor of 2x6s.

From there, down the catwalk you'd walk. Except you couldn't walk upright, instead you'd walk in a half-crouched posture.

On the left side was a gap between the interior and exteriors walls, where dead light bulbs would be tossed by students and operations personnel alike, both for disposal purposes and because the sound of shattering glass contributes to a kind of youthful glee. On the right side were steps down to the individual catwalks, a hanging grid for the drop ceiling and recessed lighting fixtures, beyond which was a 30 foot drop into the seats below.

You would have to duck under the beams as you walked back towards the rear of the auditorium, a feat made more difficult when carrying spools of cable or tools. It was on these beams that most students would inscribe their initials, names, and words of wisdom to pass onto those who would follow in their footsteps.

When properly illuminated (like standing here in the center), the catwalks were familiar and comfortable. But when light bulbs burned out or wiring problems surfaced (and near the end, they did), the darkened catwalks could be a quite a spooky place.

Onto the graffiti...

Warnings

Some instances of graffiti were more like public service announcements, like this one that appears atop a catwalk without a railing that just stops abruptly (but was later blocked by an equipment rack).

If you take 1 more step forward, you will be dead or in extreme PAIN!

Or more simply, "¡DUCK!" (under the beams) and "Watch Out" (for the bright yellow beam).

Affirmations

Although there were handful of rude, sexist, and questionable tags, remnants of six decades of dated teenage angst, messages of happiness and love were more the norm in the cats.

A smiley face.

Barney Loves You.

Peace, love, and happiness (assuming my language center is working).

"Lampies" is a term for lighting folks. And apparently it's a club you can't quit.

Most of the graffiti was left intact by County maintenance and operations personnel, with the exception of someone's "Rules" which were partially obscured by spray paint. If you can decipher any of it, let me know.

Initials and Names

Lots of initials and names, too many to count, some with graduating year and some without. Interestingly, fear of reprisal doesn't seem to be a concern for many millennials. As the graduating classes progressed, so did the perceived need or desire for anonymity.

In a unique twist of creativity, someone mounted a Geometry textbook to the ceiling and inscribed "Tommy Parker" on it.

Inspirational

Some students wrote more than just their names. Some provided their take on the world.

If all the world's a stage, then I want better lighting!

Someone named "Lenore" offered the following advice:

If you love someone set them free. If they return then sink 8 knives into their back... if they return... run... just run!

There was a bit of the poetic as well.

Money's short. Life is hard. Here's your fucking Christmas card!

The Mission of SP Crew Kids, author unknown on April 28th 2006:

The mission of Severna Park crew kids; the professional and cultural focal point of the universe is to empower a good TD to think critically, communicate and solve problems effectively and become life-long tech dorks. This will be accomplished through the employment of deafening and inappropriate sound effects in an auditorium that has nice seats, sweet lighting, and bad-ass backstage.

A visual adaptation of Digital Underground's Humpty Dance outro.

Though extensively documented in the catwalks for close to 20 years, the legend of Elpae was not photographed and thus will remain secret.

The End

Graffiti is considered vandalism by some, art by others, but in the case of the SPHS catwalks it serves as an informal written history of those who have come and gone, a kind of time capsule. Given more time, I would have loved to photograph every beam with an inscription.

And finally...

Last Modified: 2017-01-13

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