Cassville Schools Committed to Honoring Alumni
Alumni members from Cassville High School (CHS) classes of 1922-1972 will be honored in a newly designed, monument outside of the JC Duncan Gymnasium.
Traditionally, CHS has honored alumni members by stamping the names of every graduating student on the sidewalk. Senior sidewalks for the classes of 1922-1972 are located outside of the JC Duncan Gymnasium; however, after years of weathering and foot traffic, many names are no longer legible due to deteriorating concrete.
In order to comply with the guidelines established within the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will complete a sidewalk renovation project that will span the length from fifth street to 17th street. As a result of this renovation and the deteriorating sidewalk conditions, the senior sidewalks for the classes of 1922-1972 will be removed.
“Our senior sidewalks are important to us. We are committed to remembering our heritage and take great pride in preserving our history at Cassville Schools,” said Richard Asbill, Cassville R-IV Superintendent.
The school district has established a committee with CHS alumni, school board members and school staff to determine the details regarding the new monument that will replace the senior sidewalks for the classes of 1922-1972.
“Our committee began meeting at the beginning of the year and we all agreed, without a doubt, we wanted to continue to honor our graduates,” stated Jill LeCompte, Assistant Superintendent. “While we hate to see the sidewalks removed, we also think our new monument will be a great addition to our school. The monument will be easy to read and will not deteriorate like many of our senior sidewalks have.”
The Senior Sidewalk Committee is currently evaluating several options for the monument.
“While we must be mindful of the expense associated with this project, we also want to create a nice area for alumni and community members to enjoy,” stated Dusty Reid, Director of Facilities and Operations. “The sidewalks will be removed in the summer; however, we are still in the design phase for the monument. We don’t want to rush our decision and not be completely happy with the end result. The committee continues to evaluate several options and we plan to meet at the start of the New Year to finalize our plans. ”
While the monument completion date has not been determined, MoDOT will complete sidewalk removal and renovations in the summer, before the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
Prior to the removal, the district plans to have the sidewalks photographed in order to document this piece of history. Photos will be displayed on campus.
Financial contributions to offset monument expenses are being accepted. Checks may be dropped off or mailed to Cassville R-IV, 1501 Main Street, Cassville, MO 65625. Please note “sidewalk project” in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible.