County breaks ground on new elementary school

Members of the Vance County Board of Education, the Vance County Board of Commissioners, school system officials, community leaders, and citizens gathered yesterday afternoon for the official groundbreaking of Vance County School’s new elementary school.

The school will not only replace the decrepit Clark Street Elementary School facility, but it will also include other students in a redistricting scheme that will be drawn up by an outside contractor.

“Many thought this day would never come,” said Gloria White, chair of the school board, who provided the welcome for the event. She acknowledged the support of Vance County commissioners as well as that from the community.

White told the crowd of well over 100 that students would enter the new facility in 2010.

Throughout the ceremony, White mentioned those who were involved in the process of getting the new school, including former Vance County Superintendent of Schools Wayne Adcock, the late school board member Nelson “Pete” Faulkner, members of the Finch family from whom the land for the school was purchased, and former school board member Tommy Riddle. Adcock and Riddle, as well as several members of the Finch family, were present at the groundbreaking.

Dan Brummitt, chair of the Vance Board of Commissioners called the school the “beginning of a brighter future for our youth.”

School board member Margaret Ellis led children from Clark Street in a round of “hip-hip hoorays” for the new school, saying that after twenty years, the school was finally here.

Ellis noted in her remarks that there were still “many, many needs”, included three schools that lack a gymnasium or multi-purpose room as well as work needs in other schools.

Architect Jimmy Hite described the coming building as a 90,000 square foot facility with a capacity of 750 students. He called the school the culmination of a design method developed over 40 years. He told the audience that the classrooms are large with vaulted ceilings, the windows big and energy efficient, and the construction of durable materials.

“I’m confident you’ll be very happy with what you get,” Hite said.

Chuck Finch, whose family owned the farm upon which the school is being built, said to the assembled children that he hoped that they would have as much fun and learn as much as he did on the farm. He told the crowd that it was an honor for his family that there will be a school on their homestead and final resting place [of his ancestors].

Finch went on to announce that the land remaining around the family cemetery would be donated to the school board. The announcement met with a round of healthy applause.

Clark Street principal John Hargrove was moved almost to the point of tears as he addressed the audience. He said that people don’t realize what [the faculty and staff at Clark Street] deal with on a daily basis. He said that he was glad for the opportunity and strongly encouraged the students to take advantage of it.

Vance County Superintendent of Schools Norman Shearin called the school a “turn-key operation.” He said that when work was finished, the school would be ready for educators to move in.

Shearin told the audience that they are the ones who “made a difference and made this happen”.

Elected officials, school system personnel, and students then took turns turning symbolic shovelfuls of very hard dirt.