Demolition Under Way at Roscoe High School

And the walls came tumbling down.

Demolition of the old Roscoe High School building began in earnest last Thursday and, according to Superintendent Kim Alexander, should pretty well be a fait accompli by this weekend.  All week, local RHS exes have been driving by the school to view the progress, and many have stopped to take pictures or retrieve a brick as a keepsake of the building which was once so central to their lives. 

Built in 1938, it was not completed until the fall semester began that year, so its first graduating class was in 1939.  The last to attend classes in it were this year’s freshmen, making for a total of 74 consecutive classes, including practically every Roscoe High School graduate alive today along with countless others who are not.

Mindful of the feelings it evokes in those who went to school there, the superintendent and others involved in the current construction have been careful to preserve something of the old building for the new one going up.  The stone lintel over the entrance of the old building with the words Roscoe High School has been carefully removed and will become a part of the new building.  The new building will also have twin bell towers to preserve the characteristic look of the old one. 

Architect Don Smith, Contractor J. O. Pearson, Construction Supt. Mr. Ross, School Board Members C. D. Maloney, A. M. Coleman, Rev. G. W. Parks, R. L. Adams, J. H. Scruggs, E. J. Worthy, and Superintendent I. R. Huchingson.

  The photo above appeared in the 1938 Gleaner, and along with it the following statement:
     

     “It has been the pleasure and purpose of the Board of Education and of the Administration to erect a building which will better serve the educational needs of the students of Roscoe of the present and future.

       It is for the development of character, leadership, industry, and achievements that make life worthwhile that the building has been planned and constructed.  The sincere wish of those directly in charge of its erection is that it may serve well its purpose and be an inspiration for service to each of the great number of students who may enter its doors.”

Indeed, the old building has “served well its purpose” and been an “inspiration for service to the great number of students who entered its doors.”  May the new building going up do the same for the students it serves over the next decades! 

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PLOWBOYS FALL TO MUNDAY, MISS PLAYOFFS

The Roscoe Plowboys basketball team lost to the Moguls in Munday Friday night 68-42, killing their chances for making the playoffs and ending their season at 13-12 overall and 5-5 in district play.

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THE WEATHER: WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES

When last week’s issue of this blog was posted, Roscoe was experiencing single-digit temperatures and below-zero wind chills, and now we’ve just had two of the prettiest days you could ask for with sunny skies, light breezes, and temperatures in the seventies and even low eighties.  The forecast for today, tomorrow, and the next few days is for more of the same with highs around 80°F.  Maybe the groundhog was right this year and winter really is over. 
 
But that’s the good news.  The bad news is that there has been practically no precipitation around here since the beginning of the year, and unfortunately there is none in sight.  Some wheat planted in November still has yet to come up, and if the area doesn’t start getting rain soon, prospects for a decent cotton crop this year won’t be good.  The price of cotton is higher now than it’s ever been and should remain that way, but it won’t make any difference if our farmers can’t make a crop.  So, come on, rain!