Parents, Alumni Team Up To Save Murals At Marlboro's Asher Holmes Elementary School

MARLBORO, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Murals line the halls of Asher Holmes Elementary School in Marlboro. Murals that may be in danger of being white washed.

Parents and alumni have teamed up to try to save the artwork painted by former art teacher David Wells.

"They are cheerful. They remind you when you walk down the halls of being a child. If you walk in with younger children that are going to go to that school one day they get excited, it really makes the school unique," former student and parent Anissa Stone told CBS2's Meg Baker.

Wells said he was upset to hear about plans to white wash the paintings.

"She said 'David have you heard this, they are going to paint the walls white,'" Wells said.

He began the project in 1974 as a gift to the school.

"I created a world that I thought upon entering school, children would say oh my god this is a happy place, not institutional," he said.

That's how Stacey Panassidi remembers feeling.

"He had a huge impact on my childhood. Wonderful art teacher. My son got to walk those same hallways as a student," she said.

More than 1,100 people have signed an online petition to preserve the murals calling them a source of pride.

"Save the murals. It's a part of history at Asher School and it would be a real loss for future generations not to walk those hallways," Panassidi said.

Parents are hoping for another solution, Mr. Wells is on board and said he would gladly retouch the murals.

After reaching out several times to Marlboro's superintendent, and asking Asher Holme's principal to see the murals, CBS2 was escorted off the property and given a statement.

"The discussion of any painting of walls at Asher Holes was in the infancy stage as the district was researching options."

Superintendent Eric Hibbs said he will meet with Wells on Monday to discuss possibly restoring the murals.