Fairmont High School - Maple Leaves Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

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D 4T€LIM€ 79 continued BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER Mr. Frank Cimino views extensive damage to the roof along with Mr. Leonard Eddy, county maintenance supervisor. When the damage could be totaled, the fire which re- sulted from faulty wiring in the attic created a loss near $1 million. All Marion County's main- tenance personnel combined with the faculty and custo- dians moved into the school to clean up. While crews soaked up water and col- lected debris, teachers packed everything in their classrooms and moved to dry parts of the building still un- der roof. Unable to conduct classes in the structure, the Board of Education was faced with the problem of where to relocate the 1030 students. Sending the students on an afternoon schedule to cross-town East Fairmont High, spreading stu- dents among area grade schools and churches, or uti- lizing the undamaged por- tions of the main building and the Freshman and Polar Bear Buildings on campus were the choices examined by the board. Deemed the most fea- sible and least disruptive of the choices, students re- turned March 12 after the nine-day recess to the crippled school. Guidance counselors re- vamped the master schedule relocating the 11 classrooms damaged. Seven classes were conducted in the auditorium, all phased English classes were combined and the so- cial studies classes of four teachers were conducted at the Fifth Street Gym three blocks away. After a temporary roof was constructed and as class- rooms were repaired, teach- ers began moving back to their original locations. Within a month after the tragedy, all classes were back in their rooms except the library which suffered the greatest loss and did not reopen the entire year. Even when school closed June 15, students and faculty wrinkled their noses when a distinct smell reminded them of that February day when it really happened. VIEWING THE FIRE, Channel 12 news caster Eric Randall reports state-wide the tragedy in Fairmont. MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY, Mr. Bill Lawson and Coach Bob DeLorenzo join Principal John Tennant, superin- tendent T.J. Pearse and board mem- ber Mr. Frank Cimino to discuss preparations for the opening of the school. IN EVACUATING THE BUILDING, many faculty members and students were praised for a job well done. 20 Fire

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IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE for many students and graduates as they view the 50-year-old structure burning. Fire 19

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PREPARING TO PACK THEIR BE- LONGINGS, Miss Sally Conaway and Miss Joyce Flint gather a few boxes. COLLECTING POSSESSIONS soph- omore Mary Ann Stingo, juniors Becky Sauro and Kim Forcelli begin moving out.