By Catherine Monk/Richmond County Daily Journal
Wednesday, September 3, 2003 12:25 AM EDT
Rockingham Junior High School is slated to be
demolished despite of pleas from the Historic
Preservation Committee to renovate the building.
Despite recent protests from historic preservation
groups, plans to replace Rockingham Junior High
School will go forward.
"I realize the significance of that building to some
people, but the building is old and outdated, and we
can't use it for a school," said Dr. Larry Weatherly,
superintendent.
Target date for completion of a new 33-room
classroom building: August 2004.
Bids for the project will be opened during a called
meeting of the school board at noon Sept. 15.
Cost estimates: $6.6 million.
A public hearing on plans for the school was held at
the Tuesday night meeting of the school board. An
overflow crowd filled the board room.
A number of parents, teachers and administrators
spoke of the need to replace the building. No one
spoke against dismantling the building.
"Few people see the damages we see on a daily
basis," said Christina Brown, who teaches at
Rockingham Junior. "The faculty of Rockingham
Junior loves the school. It holds many memories, but
it puts at risk the lives of students and
teachers."The Daily Journal
Wednesday, September 3, 2003 12:25 AM EDT
Rockingham Junior High School is slated to be
demolished despite of pleas from the Historic
Preservation Committee to renovate the building.
Despite recent protests from historic preservation
groups, plans to replace Rockingham Junior High
School will go forward.
"I realize the significance of that building to some
people, but the building is old and outdated, and we
can't use it for a school," said Dr. Larry Weatherly,
superintendent.
Target date for completion of a new 33-room
classroom building: August 2004.
Bids for the project will be opened during a called
meeting of the school board at noon Sept. 15.
Cost estimates: $6.6 million.
A public hearing on plans for the school was held at
the Tuesday night meeting of the school board. An
overflow crowd filled the board room.
A number of parents, teachers and administrators
spoke of the need to replace the building. No one
spoke against dismantling the building.
"Few people see the damages we see on a daily
basis," said Christina Brown, who teaches at
Rockingham Junior. "The faculty of Rockingham
Junior loves the school. It holds many memories, but
it puts at risk the lives of students and
teachers."The Daily Journal
| Demolition of Old Rockingham High School |
| The article below appeared in the Richmond County Daily Journal and its website September 3, 2003 |
| My Opinion: With so much of Rockinghams' past not preserved, and, if I am not mistaken, the school being located in the Historic District of Rockingham, why can't the building be saved as maybe a museum and preserved as part of the history of the city? If it is unsafe as the article above states, build another school, as it is now planned, but save the beauty and memories in this school for future citizens of Rockingham. Of course, this is just my opinion but it seems a shame to let this building be demolished like other historic structures in the county - such as Safie mill, Hamlet High, and others. |
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