THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605230200
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 67 lines
The school chorus sang snappy jazz vocals in the hallway. The string ensemble played classical music in the band room. Art work was on display. Actors rehearsed a play called ``Goodbye To The Clown.''
The atmosphere was festive and the food was plentiful.
A year that began in tragedy for Princess Anne High School is ending in triumph over adversity.
On Sept. 1, 1995, four days before the opening of school, Princess Anne was victimized by arson.
Quick maneuvers and round-the-clock preparations enabled Princess Anne students to begin classes at several other schools in the system and at the converted Celebration Station mall a week late. Repairs to the school are scheduled to be completed around January 1997.
On May 21, the converted mall hosted a special day for those who helped them get through what Principal Pat Griffin referred to as ``a very tough year.
``Our faculty wanted to show appreciation toward the people who helped us,'' she said.
The principal invited 496 guests, ``all the people I could find who were on our database,'' who volunteered money, food, time, manpower, expertise and just plain old roll-up-the-sleeves hard work.
The fund-raisers, car washes and donations yielded a badly needed $103,000, Griffin said. Because the high school was closed and declared off-limits due to asbestos contamination, students and staff weren't allowed to enter the building and remove supplies.
Needed were items teachers take for granted - chalkboards, pens and pencils, folders, bulletin boards and such, said Griffin.
In the office they also needed basic items such as computer disks, file cabinets, storage units, copying equipment.
Chuck Kelley, store director of Farmer Jack supermarket, was on hand for the Celebration at the Station. His grocery contributed a hefty $12,853 to the effort.
Sid Rader, who has taught technical education at Princess Anne for 18 years, became part of Operation Phoenix, the effort to raise the school from the ashes of the arsonist's attack.
``When we started thinking about it, we wanted to do more than just put it back the way it was,'' said Rader, as he listened to speeches of gratitude and hope.
Rader, his colleague Tina Linhart and Princess Anne parent Katie Petersen led the drive to push for renovations rather than just rebuilding.
When the school reopens, it will have a new art wing, an expanded library and multipurpose area.
``The cafeteria will be there, but it's more than just a place to eat,'' said Rader. ``Actually it's an extended hallway with a courtyard which can be used for meetings.
``Art has never had a home,'' Rader added. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by CHARLIE MEADS
ABOVE: Guests listen as the Princess Anne High School chorus sings
during community appreciation day at the school's Celebration
Station campus.
RIGHT: Kempsville High principal Louis Tonelson, left; Princess Anne
principal Pat Griffin and Doug Bowles, a parent, chat during the
community appreciation day. ``Our faculty wanted to show
appreciation toward the people who helped us,'' Griffin said. by CNB