Friday – April 1: With former & current school officials, employees and the high school student body Wellsville High School Principal Mrs. Linda Rolley hosted a 10 Year Anniversary party for the “new high school”. Actually Wellsville High isn't new. Its beginnings date back to the 1800s but the building it's in just turned 10 years old. Hard to believe, huh?
It was first used as an institution of learning in January, 2001. During the Christmas break of that year the Wellsville High School students left the building on Center Street for the holidays. When they returned to class they went back to school in the spanking, brand new building located at 1 Bengal Drive. Bob Taft was the Ohio governor, Jim Brown was the WSD Superintendent and Rich Bereschik was the high school principal.
Prior to construction of the new building on the old 13th Street ball park there was a successful campaign to get a hefty levy passed to supplement the State's contributions. A committee called the WEB Levy Committee was formed. It was co-chaired by the late Don Lowe and Betty Shaffer. Other members were WSD Superintendent Paul Blevins, Buildings & Grounds Supervisor Joe Traina and Trustees Marge Dysert and the late Jerome Gitschier. The new building was mainly funded by the Ohio School Facilities Commission. The total project cost was $12,890,924.
It's been said the only thing certain in life is change. In the past 10 years we've seen lots of changes in all sorts of ways. The Wellsville School District has seen many changes, especially in personnel, in these past 10 years. Out of the eight members of the Board of Education listed on the dedication plaque only one remains. That is BOE President Thomas Brophey. Everybody else has moved on. As it was with challenges 10 years ago there are still challenges today. Those school officials, tax payers and the people on the levy committee stepped up to the plate to find a way to make the new building a reality. Their efforts paid off with now having a great place for the Wellsville area youth to receive their education.
It will be the “new high school” for a long time. Ten years later it's still one of the nicest school buildings in the area...
ole nib
4 comments:
As an '81 WHS graduate, it's nice to see a newer, more effective building serving the school. The old building was showing its age back then, and still had 20 years of high school duty to go!
It's also good to see Mr. Blevins in the pictures - he was the principal back then.
Mr. Blevins informed us that he was the School Superintendent when they got the levy passed. He had already retired when the new building opened.
It's always nice to see Paul no matter what job is doing!
nib
The building wasn't used until April 2001. The original plan was to do the move over Christmas break, but construction delays pushed the move in date back. Everything was officially moved in on April 1st and classes were held April 2nd.
You're absolutely correct. Just checked with our youngest and she confirmed it. Told me the first graduating class out of the new building was only in there about a month - possibly after spring break.
Glad I called her. Only 29 & she's forgetting things too. She couldn't remember exactly. Must take after her "old man"!
nib
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