At first read, you want to say: Of course, save the grass and forget the parking lot. Broughton High School, the great stone structure at Peace and St. Mary's streets, is a touchstone in Raleigh history. Opened in 1929, it's among the finest looking high school buildings anywhere.

Your correspondent, had there not been a family move to Winston-Salem in 1968, would have been a member of the class of 1970. Broughton alums are proud folks, and justifiably so. Some of them are also among the city's most influential citizens.

And that's why those good people succeeded in persuading the Raleigh Planning Commission not to recommend a parking lot for the front lawn. The City Council ultimately would rule on the matter.

Now there's no question that in an ideal world, the lawn would and should win out. But there are some practical reasons to move on with the lot.

First, Broughton is short of parking, by a long shot, compared with other high schools in the county. The standard for new schools is 797 spaces for students, staff and visitors. Broughton has 273 spaces, and the proposed lot would add 126 more. School officials say the lot would be hidden in a way by streetscaping.

Second, the shortage of spaces has a decidedly disadvantageous effect on people other than students. Some of the kids pay to park in private lots nearby; others look for spots between the school and the Cameron Village shopping and residential area. When school lets out, there are times when those driving through the area on routine business must feel like they need to be strapped in and helmeted like Jeff Gordon. It's a hazard to have so many kids spread out.

Third, the front lawn of Broughton isn't really like the Mona Lisa. There were trailer classrooms all over the place for years, and there's a large parking lot in the area now. Adding additional spaces, in other words, would not amount to putting a mustache on Mona Lisa. And when you stand across from the school on Peace Street, you don't really notice the cars anyway. You look at the grand old stone building.

Adding spaces might take a little pressure off the surrounding area. It might make it easier for school officials to supervise what students are doing when they're hanging around after school. And adding an exit onto Peace Street would make some headaches back off for anyone trying to travel on St. Mary's Street.

I gotta tell you, this wouldn't be my preference if a wand could be waved. After all, I grew up here when the prospect of going to the North Hills area was viewed as something you didn't really want to do without Lewis and Clark in tow. We complained about how far out it was. I once took my cousin to the new Crabtree Valley Mall to shop for a birthday present for her brother, and she asked me to go in and get it, because she'd promised herself she would not go in any mall, ever. (I think she got over it.).

Bambi roamed where now there are gas stations and chic clothing stores. Cary had 6,000 people in it.

And Broughton High School students wondered what in the world they'd do with all that space. A good many of them walked to school. Very few seemed to have after-school jobs, at least not jobs that took much time. When you turned 16, you certainly did not expect your parents to get you a car, because most of the time, one of them came to pick you up.

Now both parents often work. They can't break away to do the pickup unless it is an emergency. And kids work more. Students are assigned to schools outside of their own neighborhoods. Sorry, but life is more complicated, like it or not.

I wish it were possible for Broughton to prohibit students from driving in or to limit the privilege to an academically select few. I wish parents who are buying the expensive cars for their youngsters would maybe hold back a year or two. But those wishes aren't going to come true.

If you drive by Broughton these days, you're still struck by the beauty of the building, and you still will be with a relative few more cars out front. Adding spaces has benefits, and the downside won't be catastrophic. Bambi's long gone.

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