JCD preserves the past; presses forward
WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTOS
-Del High School reflects the pride the school has in their championships over the years in the athletic department. You can also see the decaying wooden bleachers that will be replaced.
Starting with replacing the roof at the Jac-Cen-Del High School, many construction projects are underway to preserve and enhance the school on Hwy 421 in Osgood. “First things first,” Superintendent Sam Melton told the Osgood Journal in an interview last week.
Now they are pushing into the gymnasium area where within the next few weeks a new look will take place. At this point, it will seem bare, since all the sports memorabilia will be taken off the walls in preparation for painting as soon as basketball season ends.
Some of the work slated for the gym will be a new HVAC system, painting of walls and the ceiling and a new scoreboard system. The original wooden bleachers will be taken out and replace with wood ones to keep the traditional look. Right now, when sitting on the bleachers it’s not uncommon to come away with a piece of one in your clothing or skin (splinters!). Another big project will be replacing the gym floor, which will take place after graduation on May 30, according to Supt. Melton.
“The original gym floor could not be refinished again, which is why we have to replace it,” Melton noted.
Just off the gym there’s a weight room. That space will be turned into a Hall of Fame and Room of Champions. This will include an interactive experience as all the pictures from the gym will be located in one area for people to view. The superintendent stood in that area and said how neat it will be for families to get together in there, visit, view the memorabilia that includes numerous photos, and even take photos of their own.
As it stands now, the large photos hang so high in the gym you can’t read the type below them, nor get a good picture with them. He said many feel this will be a more close-knit setting for a community that continues to love their Fighting Eagles!
The creation of the Jac-Cen-Del Hall of Fame will be one step closer to reality when the construction is complete. The first-class induction will take place next school year.
The superintendent grew up in a small-town, played sports himself, and knows the importance of preserving history. His mother retired from teaching school, so education along with athletics has been a part of his life for a long time. He says when taking down the pictures from the gym some were damaged and will need repairs. They are looking at costs for the frames. The large photos can be reduced in size and reframed and be crisper than they are now. They will also be more accessible to the public.
When taking out the old bleachers and original gym floor, Melton says the bleacher wood will be used in part for seating in the Room of Champions and for shelving to display sectional title trophies and signage in Room of Champions. A couple of sections of the original gym floor will be saved and display.
Changes are in the wind at Jac-Cen-Del, but they are anticipating good things in the future to continue the heritage of small school education and athletics at its finest.
The superintendent always notes that school board meetings are always open to the public and the next one will be held on Monday, February 17 at 6 p.m. at the Elementary School.
