Relics of closed schools boggle board

Oct. 14– Action on the disposal of Hardin County’s surplus schools will have to wait awhile.

County school board members got bogged down Tuesday by the question of what to do with the trophies and mementos contained in the former Whites, Walnut Grove, Nixon and North elementary schools.

The schools were vacated this year after the construction of two new facilities.

"The longer the buildings sit idle, the more likely they are to be deteriorated or damaged," said school board Chairman David Long.

Under state law, the school system may sell the real estate, or transfer it to the city of Savannah or Hardin County. The local governments are then free to determine the disposition of the properties.

However, with North already contracted to go to the city in exchange for helping fund the construction project, it appears none of the actual school buildings may go on the public auction block.

The Hardin County Board of Education is using Walker Elementary, whose students were also consolidated into the new schools, as an administrative annex, with future plans to also utilize it as a new alternative school.

Long said the Savannah Industrial Development Corporation is potentially interested in Nixon Elementary for a business use.

Plus, some residents of Walnut Grove and Burnt Church are organizing to take over the schools there for community centers.

Jonas Morris, a county commissioner who represents those two areas, said a qualifying nonprofit corporation, "The Walnut Grove Heritage Foundation," is being established for Walnut Grove.

Representatives from the communities say they want the county to hand over the schools and all the contents.

"We’re trying to preserve our heritage," said Morris.

But that raised the issue of fairness regarding how to handle the cherished photos and other memorabilia at the schools which may not become community centers.

Possibilities mentioned include housing some of the relics at the Tennessee River Museum or the Hardin County Library.

"How much responsibility do we have to give back to the community? I don’t know that I really have the answer," Long said.

Declining to make a decision at that point, the board voted to recess the meeting and take up the issue again on Monday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.

Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis said he supports the community center proposals.