School break-ins blamed on curiosity

In its nearly 90-year history, the Louis J. Schultz building has seen better appreciated days.

Since the Cape Girardeau School District closed the school more than 16 months ago, it's been vandalized, burgled, and ditched by a developer who pledged $2 million for it.

Most recently police responded Wednesday night to an alarm at the building on 101 S. Pacific. When officers arrived, they spotted four people near the northwest corner of the building, where a window had been broken out, said department spokesman Jason Selzer.

"They told the officers they saw the open window and went inside but that they didn't take anything," he said.

Jonathan H. Dodson and Thomas L. Youngblood, both 18, were charged Thursday with misdemeanors for trespassing and property damage, Selzer said. Both were taken into custody on a $1,500 bond. Two juveniles were also present, but they were not cited, he said.

A little over two weeks ago, police cited four juveniles for breaking windows at the building, Selzer said. Seven of the north side windows are spotted with shatter marks, and at least four of the building's other windows are boarded up from damages.

The first report of property damage after the school closed occurred July 29, 2002, according to police reports. That's when someone broke inside and sprayed some of the building's fire extinguishers, said superintendent Mark Bowles.

He said the district has been "extremely blessed" to have had so few incidents of vandalism. So far, costs have been limited to boarding up or replacing broken windows. Burglars won't find much inside the building beyond old desks.

"It sounds like curiosity got the better of some people who saw breaking in as an irresistible temptation to see if they can actually do it," he said.

Maintenance crews regularly check doors and windows multiple times a week, he said.

Taxpayer investment

"That's a taxpayer investment out there," Bowles said. "One of the best things we can do for the community is to aggressively pursue anybody who is vandalizing it. And we intend to fully do that."

And, Bowles promises the building will soon be on the market again.

"Our best defense is to have that building occupied and sold," he said.

Litigation over a contract between a Jefferson City developer and the school district has continued for over a year, but district officials will meet with real estate agent Tom Meyer today to discuss a "reasonable asking price" before putting the building back on the market, Bowles said.

Ray Bax of RMB Inc.'s Bax Construction had offered to buy the building in January 2002 for $2 million. He planned to renovate it into offices the state was seeking bids on to house three state departments in the city. However, when Bax lost the bid to Prost Builders of Jefferson City, which proposed renovating the Marquette Hotel on Broadway, he wanted out of the contract.

The school district is suing for the $2 million he promised, as well as damages for attorney's fees and interest. A case review is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Perry County on a change of venue.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160