Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990 TAG: 9006080707
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: RICH CREEK LENGTH: Medium
In the fall, children who had been attending Rich Creek will go to Narrows Elementary School about five miles away.
The Giles County School Board voted in March to close Rich Creek and King Johnston elementary schools because of declining enrollments and increasing operating costs.
King Johnston will close at the end of next school year.
"This has been a week of mixed emotions and also a lot of fun," Principal Armistead Booker Jr. said. "We all know how special it [Rich Creek] is and how special the people are and especially how special the children are to us. They are our richest resource."
School Board Chairman J.B. Buckland, whose two children attended Rich Creek, said the closing will result in a savings of about $160,000.
"It hurts when you take a school out of a community," Buckland said.
The Rich Creek Lions Club has expressed interest in the building as a recreation area, he said. The organization had put a lot of effort in a playground and a concession stand. And in the winter, the school is the only place in the community to play basketball.
Rich Creek had 92 pupils in kindergarten through grade five at the end of this year. The school had five teachers, one teaching a combined fourth- and fifth-grade class.
"I think there's a camaraderie of family relationships that exists in that school like I've never seen anywhere," Booker said.
The teachers have a "loving brother-sister relationship" complete with practical jokes. Booker recalls pranks such as removing the decorations from a teacher's Christmas tree or turning all the pictures on classroom walls upside down.
"The children appreciate the love," he said.
Wednesday's activities were similar to most last-day school events. School let out early, 11:15 a.m., after an awards ceremony to recognize pupil achievements. But smiles, hugs and tears were abundant during the final 90 minutes.
Several events over the last few weeks have marked the last days of Rich Creek, including a retirement dinner for Charlotte Sartin, who taught kindergarten at Rich Creek for 21 of her 36 years as a teacher in Giles County.
The other teachers, Booker and staff have been reassigned to other county schools.
Last week, the school went on a field trip to Pipestem, W.Va., and visited Narrows Elementary School to get to know future classmates and teachers.
Monday, Fun Day activities included a magic show and a chance for the children to dunk their principal in a dunking booth, which he noted was done about 30 times.
Wednesday, Booker wanted to spend the assembly recognizing pupils for academic and other achievements, just like any other last-day assembly. But as the minutes ticked by, teachers, students and parents became increasingly emotional.
Scads of certificates for outstanding class work, perfect attendance and athletic ability were handed out. The children received a moment in the limelight as they walked up to accept a certificate to applause and the clicking of cameras.
Sartin delivered a hug along with a diploma of completion to each of her kindergartners.
"This is a hugging place because there's so few of us we can get around to everybody," she said later.
Deborah Gautier, a parent and Rich Creek alumna, surveyed the assembly from the rear of the combination gymnasium and auditorium.
"I think some of the kids don't want to go and to some of them it really doesn't matter," she said, with sadness in her voice.
Booker asked the teachers and staff to come to the front to be recognized for the last time at Rich Creek and there were hugs and handshakes that led to tears.
"I think we better break this up before it gets worse," Booker said. Some children and parents scattered, while others lingered to say goodbye to the staff or have a picture taken with a favorite teacher.
by CNB