Letter in the Annandale Advocate, April 1, 2008 - with their permission:

1922 building is basically sound

From: Jill Bishop, Annandale
Apr 1, 2008

I learned a lot at a Wednesday, March 26, meeting of people interested in the future of the 1922 school building. Most significantly I learned that inspections by a fire marshal and a building inspector have determined that the building is basically sound - all of it - so the myth of the condemned third floor can finally be put to rest! And although it needs improvements, the cost of fixing up the 1922 building is not prohibitive. Yet the recommendation of the Facilities Task Force to the school board will include demolition of the 1922 building, then adding on to Bendix. Does that make sense? At the meeting I was reminded of numerous virtues of the building, particularly the spacious rooms and large windows providing natural light considered so valuable in educational settings, unlike any of the other school district's buildings. Surely we don't have to lose this functional and classic school building just because it is old and has been neglected. Perhaps the best thing I learned that meeting was that many others share my feelings about the value of the building. Now if only the school board does too ... It was a good meeting. If you are interested in going to the next meeting, come to the Snooty Fox on Wednesday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. If you cannot make the meeting but would like to be kept abreast of efforts to keep the building from being demolished, e-mail me at jwbishop@lakedalelink.net.