DAILY MAIL STAFF
ELEANOR - Trophies rescued and cleaned after a fire thatdestroyed their building seemed to symbolize hope resurrected fromtragedy at George Washington Middle School. "All the trophies werea horrible mess," Principal Herschel Facemyre told the crowd in themiddle school gymnasium, located in an annex building undamaged bythe late Friday fire. "The teachers and staff cleaned them up so youcould see them."
In the brief assembly, Facemyre led about 325 students andvisitors in applause for the efforts of the firefighters and theschool staff.
"These people not only touched your lives, but the lives of thecommunity," he said.
Eight of the teachers have taught only at George WashingtonMiddle, and four or five raised their hands to indicate they havebeen at the school more than 25 years.
Facemyre introduced three of the town's volunteer firefighters,each a graduate of George Washington Middle, to answer questionsabout the fire that destroyed the two-story, brick building built in1938.
Eighth-graders wanted to know how and where the fire started, howquickly it spread and if it rekindled later.
The fire probably had a 30- to 60-minute head start before smokewas spotted and firefighters notified, firefighter Shannon Smalleysaid. The roofing tar, as well as books and papers, may havecontinued to smolder and led observers to suspect the firerestarted.
The program also included a brief history of the Depression-eraschool. Former Principal Jeff Wymer told the students the school wasnamed for the first president because he had visited the area as asurveyor.
"George Washington saw the potential of this area," Wymer said."I'm looking at the potential of this area ... work hard and carryon the legacy of George Washington."
Students for the most part appeared upbeat, nearly mobbingFacemyre and other staff members after the assembly was dismissed toseek their autographs in their new 2000 yearbooks.
"Why do you have to leave?" one asked the retiring Facemyre.
"Will you come back to see us next year?" another asked. Heassured her he would.
While the students seemed to be coping well, Facemyre and otheradults were dabbing tearful eyes. Putnam County school board memberKim Sharp said she still is in denial about reports that juvenilesset the fire.
"I'm just running over with sadness," she said. "When you thinkof how many great kids there are here, you can't believe this wascommitted by a couple kids."
Alva Bonnett, the grandmother of a ninth-grader, arrived just intime for the ceremony. She said her granddaughter is terribly upset,in part because she will be separated from some of her GW classmatesnext year and had planned end-of-the year events.
While she will go to Buffalo High School, other classmates go toPoca High.
An eighth-grade language arts teacher, Judy Cobble, told theassembly that people are the most important part of the school.
"I just continue to tell myself that a school is more than abuilding ... I hope you leave with a sense of family," she said.
Writer Evadna Bartlett can be reached at 348-1756 or by e-mail atevadna@dailymail.com.
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