Current students and teachers, along with hundreds of alumni, took a trip down memory lane Sunday afternoon at Enota Elementary School in Gainesville.
The current school building, which opened in 1954, is coming down this summer to make way for a state-of-the-art educational facility, set to open in time for the 2018-19 school year.
Most of those in attendance agreed - the visit was bittersweet.
""It's sorta sad," said Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan, who attended Enota from the 2nd to the 6th grade. "Lot of good memories here and a lot of good friends that I'm seeing today that I haven't seen in many years, so that's been fun."
Jeff Pierce, an Enota student from 1969 to 1974, attended the final walk-through event with his daughter McKinney, who was an Enota student from 2002 to 2004. While he said it was sad to see the old building go, he laughed at some of the fun memories from his elementary school years at Enota.
"We watched a horse run through the playground one day - we thought that was great. It had gotten loose up at the corner of Park Hill out of that fence and we had a great time watching them trying to catch the horse on the playground," Pierce said with a laugh.
When the current school year ends in a few weeks, demolition on the old building will begin. Enota students will share a campus with Centennial Elementary students while the new Enota is under construction for the next 12-16 months.
DeAnn Sams, the assistant principal at Enota, is familiar with the process of moving one school to another, since she was teaching at Fair Street School when that new facility was built. She said she doesn't anticipate any major problems with sharing a campus next school year.
Still, she said, the logistics are only half of the issue. She agrees with others that the emotions of seeing the old school torn down are more difficult to deal with.
"There are a lot of emotions behind it. I went to school here, my kids have gone to school here, my daughter will be part of the new school when we come back...part of this is my history, as well, and I hate to see it go. It still has a lot of character," said Sams.
She acknowledged that the school building is unhealthy and a bit unsafe at its age, so tearing it down is the right thing to do.
"It is sad, but knowing what the future holds for our school and for our students with a state-of-the-art school, I'm just thrilled that I get to be part of that."
Beth Andrews Moffett (left) attended Enota Elementary School, while her mother Mary Frances Andrews (right) was a para-professional at the school for more than two decades. The two look at Enota yearbooks with Moffett's son John Bishop Moffett.
Enota alumni pose for photos at the school's oak front doors, which are original to the building. Gainesville School Board member Sammy Smith says the doors will be used in the new school, as well.
Elizabeth Burnette (back) and her daughters Annie (left) and Mae (right) sell Enota memorabilia at the PTA table at Sunday's final walk-through of the old building.
Students, teachers and alumni write their memories on index cards at the Sunday walk-through.
Wesley Roach, principal of Enota Elementary School for the last three years, welcomes a crowd of attendees at Sunday's final walk-through of the old Enota building.
Enota Show Choir Director Sheila Rogers (left), who is retiring at the end of the school year, visits with former Gainesville City Schools Superintendent Merrianne Dyer (right). Dyer also served as assistant principal at Enota during her career.
McKinney Pierce (holding red book), who attended Enota from 2002-2004, shares some memories with her father Jeff Pierce, an Enota student from 1969-1974. Joy Morris (far right) also was an Enota student.
Madison Brown currently is a 4th grader at Enota Elementary School. She will attend school on the Centennial campus next year while the new Enota is under construction.
The Enota Show Choir gives a preview of its final performance in the old school building.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/4/530506/photo-gallery-hundreds-say-farewell-to-the-old-enota-elementary-school