EDUCATORS WANT TO GET BACK TO BASICS: NO MORE CRACKED WALLS

Educators in the Cape Girardeau Public Schools want to get back to basics: No more cracked walls, shifting bricks, sunken floors, hallway classrooms and antiquated electrical systems with too few outlets.

"We do such a good job cosmetically that we cover up a lot of this," said Sam Jarrell, the longtime principal at May Greene Elementary School.

But no amount of paint can really hide the problem of a 74-year-old school that's falling apart from age, said Jarrell.

"When you don't have a dry room, that's not basic," he pointed out. "When you don't have the electrical outlets that you need, that's not basic."

Voters in the Cape Girardeau school district are being asked to approve a $25 million bond issue and a hike in the building fund levy in an election April 6. Combined, the two measures would mean a 99-cent (per $100 assessed valuation) tax increase.

The funding measures would allow for construction of a new elementary school and a middle school, and an addition to Jefferson Elementary School, retrofit existing buildings to withstand earthquakes, and provide air conditioning and electrical upgrades for the district's existing buildings.

If voters approve the measures, the district plans to close its three oldest buildings: Washington and May Greene elementary schools and L.J. Schultz School, home to the district's seventh graders.

Superintendent Neyland Clark said future plans for the outdated schools remain uncertain.

"We're thinking maybe the Washington School will be demolished," said Clark, maintaining the ground is worth more than the building. May Greene could be torn down or sold.

"There is no use for it in the school district to our knowledge unless we make it a warehouse, and that's a costly warehouse," said Clark.

There's a possibility Schultz could be used as an alternative high school for "kids who struggle traditionally in a regular classroom," said Clark. But at this point, there are no firm plans, he said.

Built in 1919, the brick-and-masonry May Greene School at 1000 Ranney St. is showing its age.

It originally contained 23,000 square feet of space. The facility was increased by 7,000 square feet in 1926. Renovations in 1966 and 1970 increased the size to 30,000 square feet.

Like Washington and Schultz schools, May Greene has few electrical outlets in the classrooms.

Electrical extension cords and outlet strips are staples in these classrooms, providing needed outlets to handle everything from fans to computers.

"We have computers and laser discs players and VCR players and other kinds of electrical equipment that we have no place to hook up except one at a time. We have no air conditioning in this building," said Jarrell.

The lack of air conditioning is a problem in most of the district's schools, said Clark.

Franklin Elementary School is air conditioned, as are parts of the junior high and high school. But the district's other schools are not, Clark said.

"One of the fundamental premises that we have to operate from is that programs need to drive facilities, not facilities drive programs.

"And when you're trying to use and trying to develop and trying to implement modern, 1990 programs and you've got a 1920 building, you've got oil and water ... they don't merge. They're not congruent to one another," said Clark.

Peeling plaster and paint are common sights at May Greene despite repeated maintenance efforts.

Classrooms on the second floor of the building suffer from moisture problems.

In one classroom, the water pours in when it rains. "It doesn't drip. It comes down the windows in sheets," said math teacher Martha Howell. "It has just steadily gotten worse."

Jarrell said efforts have been made to correct the problem, but with no success.

Sixth grade teacher Jo Peukert said it "would be wonderful" to have a new school, which would be safer for both the children and the teachers.

At Washington School, there are similar concerns. Electrical outlets are too few and often poorly placed.

Built in 1914, the two-story brick and masonry structure at 621 N. Fountain is one of the two oldest schools in use in the district.

The elementary school has an abundance of stairs, making it virtually inaccessible to the handicapped, and a maze of a floor plan.

"Quite honestly, if you go through Washington, it's hard to visualize what it was designed for," said Clark. "It's worse than a maze."

Principal Barbara Blanchard agrees. "It is hard to get around in this building."

The building originally contained 40,000 square feet. The facility was increased in 1926 and 1931, adding six rooms and a gymnasium. The school was renovated in 1967-68.

Virtually every nook and cranny is being used. A former storage room now houses a windowless speech room, which is warmed with an electric heater.

A storage closet doubles as a classroom for reading teacher Carol Brice. "You just learn to live with it," said Brice.

A hallway in the school now serves as a classroom. Exposed pipes run along the ceiling of one hallway. In addition to telling children to walk and not run, students must be reminded not to jump up and hang on the pipes, Blanchard said.

"We can't keep paint on a lot of the walls because of the moisture," she said.

Students notice the problems, too. "My room is squished," fifth-grade student Thomas Dohogne said of his cramped classroom.

Fourth grader Morgan Cook said there are not enough electrical outlets to serve the classrooms. "We have a really long extension cord over there and it powers a bunch of things," she observed.

The floor is sagging in fourth grade teacher Lorna Mueller's class.

Third grade teacher Darla Snider said the electrical system limits her room to only one computer. "I know some rooms can't handle a computer and a fan."

Blanchard said, "We need to give children and teaches a place to function with efficiency."

The story is similar at Schultz School at 101 S. Pacific.

The original building dates back to 1914. The brick and masonry structure had 45,000 square feet when it was built. It was increased in 1920 by 15,000 square feet. A 5,000 square foot shop was added in 1941. The building was renovated in 1965.

Principal Carolyn Vandeven said the south part of the structure was originally a high school. The north end served as a vocational school at one time. A third portion of the structure was once used to make airplane parts for the military during World War II, she said.

The antiquated heating system leaves students and teachers roasting in some rooms, while other classrooms are cold.

Top-floor rooms are particularly hot, said Vandeven. They're hot in winter and in summer.

In warmer weather particularly, it's difficult for perspiring students to concentrate, said math teacher Myrnita Grantham. She said it's so hot she has to allow class time for students to get a drink of water.

"It's always summer on the third floor," said teacher Pat Heckert.

Science teacher Kellie Phillips must make do with limited outlets in her classroom, which is not equipped to handle computers something she considers "a basic necessity."

One outlet is under the heater. Phillips said she can't plug in a computer or laser disc there because of the heat.

Students and teachers must suffer through cramped quarters. "This place is very overcrowded," said Vandeven.

"Our gym area is very small," she noted. As a result, a hallway has been converted into added gym space.

The school's basement has been transformed into art and industrial technology classrooms.

"This classroom gets extremely hot," observed industrial technology teacher William Headrick. He explained that the classroom is close to the school's boiler.

"When I come in in the morning, I have to open half a dozen windows," said Headrick.

"So we swelter in real cold weather and they freeze in other rooms," he pointed out. In warm weather, the high humidity causes metal items in the building's basement to rust.

The harsh conditions make it unsuitable for high-tech equipment, such as computers for drafting work, he said.

The building has had a number of structural problems in recent years.

In 1987, a concrete support beam eroded, causing the south wall to pull away. "We moved everybody away, tore it down and rebuilt it," said Vandeven.

Last summer, the roof over the northwest corner of Schultz cafeteria partially collapsed, forcing workmen to shore up the roof and rebuild part of the wall. The wood trusses were rotted and the anchor bolts supporting the ceiling were sheered as a result of repeated water damage, officials said at the time.

Clark said the district was fortunate that the partial roof collapse occurred during the summer and not when school was in session.

Monday: A look at the Middle School plan.