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Charlene Schaefer, Annandale
April 22, 2008
Attendance at a couple of informative meetings and discussions
with concerned community members have provided various
viewpoints concerning the destiny of the
1922 building. The primary concerns are the amount of
money that will need to be spent and what is best for the
students' education. I have heard that the building is a sound
structure and can be used for education purposes. It needs
updating and renovations. Doing so will cost money. What is the
value of preserving a building which seems to have historical
value to a community? Having been an art teacher for more than
25 years I've developed a strong appreciation for the old. In
our society the importance of history seems to have lost
significance. (Watch the Jay Leno show some night when he poses
questions to people passing by on the street and how interesting
that an article appeared in the USA Weekend last week titled
"Why don't we know much about history"). Does the
1922 building have a place in journals of this community?
If it is torn down what will be remembered? Is it important to
remember? If it is demolished it is gone forever. Preserving the
past does cost money. What is it worth? We are a "throw away"
society but are realizing that our world does naot have an
endless supply of resources. Is destroying a structurally sound
building on the basis of the cost of renovation the most
responsible choice? What will destroying the building truly
cost? Could we actually be teaching our students and others in
the community something by saving the building? Is there value
in being responsible "stewards of the Earth"? While asking to
hang up posters on Main Street last week I heard various
responses, most of them in favor of saving the
1922 building. Some people in the community are still
unaware of the issue. I do not have the answer to the dilemma of
the 1922
building. I do believe that the entire community should be aware
of the issue and have a voice in making an informed decision.
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