The first of two articles
appears in e-Ticker
News of Claremont
http://web.mac.com/pammuz/Site_17/etnoc_files/e-Ticker%20News,%20Feb.%2022,%202010.pdf
(Page 7)
Making
History
By Charlene Lovett, Member,
Claremont School Board
On February 3rd, nearly 300 people attended the
deliberative session, the majority voting to put both the bond and the
proposed school budget on the ballot. The common reaction among the
school board members and the school administrators was that they had
never seen so many citizens at a deliberative session. We are both
thankful for your time and your thoughtful consideration of the
articles presented, and overwhelmed by your support. Together we have
moved one step closer to making history by revitalizing a school that
has been with us for nearly 150 years.
As in earlier years, this community has chosen
endurance and tenacity in the face of challenging times. In 1867, just
two years after a devastating civil war that left hundreds of thousands
of people dead and the country reeling, the people of Claremont chose
to look to the future and build Stevens High School. As the community
grew, so did the need for a larger high school. In 1915, during WW1, we
rallied to meet that need and expand. In 1929, at the onset of the
Great Depression, when every day was met with great uncertainty, this
community chose to meet the educational needs of its youth by enlarging
the high school. Finally, in 1963, during a decade of tumultuous change
and the Vietnam War, the people of Claremont answered the need of its
community and expanded the school once again.
On March 9th, we have the opportunity to walk in the
footsteps of our ancestors and continue the legacy that they began.
Knowing that revitalizing the high school will increase taxes, it will
not be an easy path for many. Looking back, it is evident that our
ancestors did not choose what was easy, but what was necessary to move
forward. President Obama recently said in his State of the Union
address, “In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program
around is a world-class education.” This is not a new idea. The
people of Claremont have known this to be true for nearly a century and
a half. They made the investment and the sacrifices to ensure that a
good education was possible. Now it is our turn to continue what they
started. We look forward to seeing you at the polls next month.
Please e-mail comments to:
clovett@claremont.k12.nh.us.
The second of two articles is
slated to go in our
SHSAA 2010 Newsletter :
Stevens
High School Reinvestment
Committee Update:
Charlene Lovett
‘81
More than a building, Stevens High
School is an educational institution.
Because of the revitalization plan for
Stevens High School (SHS), we have spent a lot of time discussing the
building itself. With this being the focus, we might forget that SHS
is more than the brick and mortar that we see. It is an educational
institution.
For nearly a century and a half, SHS
has provided the young adults of this community with opportunities to
learn, explore new ideas, and experience new adventures. Its
teachers and staff have made lasting impressions and taught life-long
lessons which graduates have drawn upon in their later years. Its
halls have been the foundation on which the students have built their
futures. As a 1981 graduate, I know this to be true.
Every student that enters SHS’s
door
has the opportunity to not only succeed, but to excel. SHS is
populated with teachers, guidance counselors and administrators
dedicated to giving the students the tools they need to achieve
success. There are programs for students who are academically
struggling, and alternative programs for those unable to flourish in
a traditional high school environment. There are opportunities for
students who are more technically inclined, and for others who are
gifted in the arts. As for the natural scholars, there are programs
that will challenge their intellect at the collegiate level.
Over the years, SHS graduates have
brought credit upon themselves and to the communities in which they
have lived. They have succeeded in every branch of industry. Some
have become leaders in their profession. Others have served their
country or their community. Ultimately, they have created a legacy
from which their children and grandchildren have benefited.
SHS is a cornerstone of this community,
rich in its history and foundational in the lives of many
generations. Like many of its aging graduates, its facade is
weathered and not reflective of what is internal. Time has not
diminished its value as an educational institution. However, we are
now living in a time in which we will decide how much value we place
on this school.
Claremont voters will go to the polls
in March to determine whether or not they will accept the 60% state
aid now available for renovations to Stevens High School. If
you’d
like more information relating to these proposed renovations, you can
contact committee members working on this project through the
Superintendent’s office on Broad Street.
Charlene Lovett, Claremont School Board
Member
char_lovett@hotmail.com