Friday, September 13, 2013

TOP STORY >> McRae museum may move nearby

By JEFFREY SMITH 
Leader staff writer

Beebe School Board members on Monday discussed moving the McRae School District museum out of the new Beebe Middle School.

The McRae School District existed for 110 years — from 1895 to 2005. The state annexed McRae into the Beebe School District in response to falling enrollment.

Photos, trophies and other memorabilia of the McRae Trojans are displayed in the upstairs loft of the middle school gym. Early records were lost in a 1946 fire.

The tentative plan is to move the McRae collection to a neighboring house on 304 N. Wilkes St. in McRae. The house is owned by the district and has air conditioning. The gym does not have air conditioning.

Reunions are held the first Saturday in June. Many McRae graduates return to see mementos from the school’s past.

In other business:

 The board also approved the resignation of board vice president Lucy Mahoney, who served on the board for eight years. She is moving.

The school board has 30 days to appoint a new member to serve for one year and run for a one-year term. In 2015, an election will be held to fill the position for a full five-year term.

 Board members also approved the resignation of teacher Kathy Byrd, ground and transportation employee Terri Vanderford, cafeteria worker Heather Clemons and Becky Neu, secretary at the Early Childhood Building.

 Board members approved the employment of teachers Shelly Owens and Emily Raney, paraprofessionals Jessica Bell and Jennifer Totten and bus drivers Judy Harmon, Danny Burnett and Tonya May.