The Mail-Journal, Volume 19, Number 47, Milford, Kosciusko County, 8 December 1982 — Page 8

8

THE MAIL-JOURNAL—Wed., Decembers, 1982

Demolition work begins — And the walls come tumbling down . . . V

Text And Photos By DEB FOX, Demolition of the Milford Junior High building is progressing as Jim Hamman of Hamman and Son Crane and Excavating Service and Pete Gawthrop of Gawthrop Construction, both of Leesburg, are trying to salvage all they can from the old monument. Ham man stated that on Thursday the back walls will be knocked in. Walking through the old structure, Hamman pointed out a number of areas where the material can still be used. Some of the items he is trying to salvage are copper wiring, the flooring, beams in a number of the rooms, steel beams in the gymnasium, cast iron pipes,

ik • ~~~ fai Ipng Hina 5 - CHIMNEY THE FIRST TOGO j A jj? fl * ■ ■■■l • 7’ r A BETTER LOOK AT STRUCTURE MAKE UP 1 fl? / F f ItaßrTl Bia' i J - : sZ ■■ * I j i I J¥ v I m- w z WB * 9 <** '• JflLflM Bk* ' x <* >M \ j .Z3I • - * VACANT HALLS. FILLED WITH SALVAGEABLE ITEMS

doors and many other items. Hamman commented the building may have lasted another 100 years as he pointed to the rafters, which show no sign of stress or wear. He stated what caused the building to meet its end was the wooden stairways leading to the second and third floors. Hamman and Gawthrop have been working on the building for the past several months, salvaging and removing items that people have purchased, such as the boilers. History In 1914 with World War I on the minds of most people, the thoughts of Milford residents were on the hew school building. On December 18.1914, dedication ceremonies were held and on

May 15, 1915, the Masons conducted a comer stone ceremony. In 1923 the laboratory and science room was “fitted up” out of the east half of the old gymnasium. The room was well equipped with tables used for study, experiment and typewriting. A new gym was built in the 1920 s with work on the gym in 1924. In early 1925 games were scheduled. The test class to graduate from the high school was that of 1968. The school then became a junior high school, serving in that compacity until this fall. Remodeling In 1971 the Lakeland School Board approved remodeling and renovation work at the school. This*work included: repair and cover all wood floors with vinyl tile or carpet, increase the size of the present library by extending into the present study hall, repair the gym floor, remove existing \yood bleachers and installing roll-away-bleachers, updating the existing science area, remodeling an existing room for band and choral instruction, repair or replace all fire escapes, remove all plastered ceilings and install new lay in ceilings, rework all restrooms, create locker areas and remove all existing lockers from hall area, correct .all electrial problems, and replace where needed all chalkboard, tackboards, doors and frames. An account of what happened appeared in The Mail-Journal on August 30, 1972, when the remodeling delayed the school's opening by two days. “At Milford old grads will have to close their eyes to picture the old study hall — it’s no longer . there. The western portion of the room was made into a junior high library some time ago. This year a wall has been installed and an additional classroom is now found in the eastern portion of the

-•-- A.*t‘*S > e"s u.' ~ ** > ;-a r a «~VJk. •* ;g mV i IBw i fl Bl ; ’HI’ '*ll * f ’ •fiSKSW;**! < ’ x. ®JIL M sSd ’ t y ?.... 1 DEBRIS BLOCKS BASEMENT ENTRYWAY. SIGNS OF THE END •BL, r •r "Hr ’ -- iKI * fv. yJL , -"- V *wt I ' Hi - hijßl? ’wEKaflE*-^— SESinslllßMr’ JUNIOR HIGH BUILDING AS IT LOOKS TODAY

room. The old stage area has been turned into additional space for students’ lockers. “The band room has been moved upstairs and the hall enclosed to make the room larger. Ceilings in all rooms have been lowered and up-dated lighting installed. - “The guidance department will be moved to the lower floor and will be located in the former band room. “The end of the hall on the main floor has been enclosed and a sick room and nurse’s station will be located there. This will put those students who are ill nearer the office where they can be attended to easier. “All rooms are being painted and tile is being layed to replace the old wooden floors.” New Regulations Because of new regulations for energy conservation and the handicapped the school board discussed for some time about putting a large amount of money into the junior high, because of , the old wood structure. At that time, in September 1979, Everett I. Brown Company had suggested: insulation, adding 138 storm windows, building two and one-half stories above ground, replacing the six windows in the gymnasium with operable metal frame windows and a new condensate tank. The total cost of this project would be $31,250. But the board was “looking down the road,” and members felt they should receive bids on the insulation for the ceiling and have a feasibility study done on the building. In 1980 Kenneth Brown of Everett I. Brown Company submitted a renovation plan totaling $1,800,930. He also provided the board with

1 \ ■ . B _ *■" ' ' . wSJ f HB \uA !1 ■ I B WOODEN FLOORS SALVAGED ON THIRD FLOOR

preliminary plans and drawings on a new junior high facility. In the renovation plans, Brown called for widening the hallways to the required 12 feet, pouring cement stairs to replace the wooden stairs and adding additional space to the east side of the building. These were in addition to the items mentioned in 1979. There was a problem with having classrooms in the basement of the building which is against state codes. In October 1980 the board gave a green light to building a new junior high facility. On October 29, the final architectural plans were approved with bids opened on December 11, 1980. Construction started shortly thereafter and completed in August of this year. The cost: $3,378,743. Demolition Awarded After numerous discussions on what to do with the old high school, with many suggestions from area residents, the board decided to demolish the building. On October 12, 1982, Gawthrop Construction. Oswego, was awarded the bid to raze the building. His bid was $19,978. The work must be done in the next 60 days.

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