Tillman County Chronicles: Central Elementary... Comin' Down

The 1922 Frederick High School (Central Elementary School) building. Photo was taken October 18, 2011.

For historic photos of the 1922 building, CLICK HERE

School Teardown Begins

Crews began the process of tearing down the 1922 Frederick High School (later Central Elementary) building on Monday morning, November 28, 2011. The plan is to remove the building's entire west side, including the auditorium, leaving the the old gymnasium (for now).

The building's location will be site of a new elementary library/media center, four elementary classrooms, a large multipurpose facility that can be used as a gymnasium and auditorium, and a music facility that will be shared by elementary and middle school students.

The following photos are sequential, beginning on November 28, 2011

Removal of the old school building began at the structure's northeast corner (photo above was taken from the west front at noon on Monday, November 28, 2011)

The tear down started at the 1922 building's northeast corner (photo taken at noon, November 28, 2011)

Northwest corner of the building (5:00 p.m., November 28, 2011)

Cornerstone at northwest corner (5:00 p.m., November 28, 2011). The Tillman County Historical Society has asked the Frederick Schools for the cornerstone as a permanent exhibit at the Pioneer Townsite Museum.

School office area, west front (5:00 p.m., November 28, 2011)

North classroom wing... Gone. (photo taken 12:30 p.m., November 29, 2011)

Most debris from the North Wing had been removed by Thursday, December 1. The building's cornerstone was removed on Thursday morning, December 1, and delivered to the Pioneer Townsite Museum [see next photo]. (photo taken at noon, December 1, 2011,

The Cornerstone was delivered to the Tillman County Historical Society for the Pioneer Townsite Museum. A small copper box time capsule was mortared into the shallow cavity at top of the stone. The capsule will be opened at a Frederick Board of Education meeting on Monday evening, December 5. (Photo taken December 1, 2011)

Holes in the north wall of the auditorium allow for removal of seating and other debris (photo taken at noon, December 1, 2011)

The old auditorium being cleared of seating and other debris (photo taken at noon, December 1, 2011)

School flagpole and base, given by Class of 1923, were removed in one piece (December 1, 2011)

Demolition of the South Wing began on Thursday morning, December 1 (photo taken at noon, December 1, 2011)

Most of the South Wing removed (photo taken December 2, 2011, 12:15 p.m.)

A south-end classroom (photo taken December 2, 2011, 12:15 p.m.)

South Wing rubble (December 2, 2011)

View from the south on 12th Street (December 7, 2011, 7:45 a.m.)

Much of the "modern" facade that covered 1973 tornado damage has been removed from the front of the building. (December 7, 2011, 7:45 a.m.)

Demolition of west front continues (December 7, 2011, 5:15 p.m.)

Front classrooms, 1st and 2nd levels, taken out (December 7, 2011, 5:15 p.m.)

West stairwell (December 7, 2011, 5:15 p.m.)

Class of 1923 plate from flagpole base (December 7, 2011, 5:15 p.m.)

12th Street view from the south (December 8, 2011, 12:30 p.m.)

Demolition continues on a cold, rainy day. (December 13, 2011, 2:10 p.m.)

The back wall of the auditorium has been removed (December 13, 2011, 2:10 p.m.)

A worker in the now-open auditorium removes debris (December 13, 2011, 2:10 p.m.)

View from the south on 12th Street (photo taken December 17, 2011, 2:30 p.m.)

The auditorium is open and the balcony has been removed (photo taken December 17, 2011, 2:30 p.m.)

Auditorium is open (Photo taken December 17, 2011, 2:30 p.m.)

The large attic space above auditorium is exposed (December 17, 2011)

The north side of the building (photo taken December 17, 2011, 2:30 p.m.)

North wall of the auditorium has been removed. Roof line between gym and auditorium has been cut because gym will stay, for now (photo taken December 17, 2011, 2:30 p.m.)

The tear down ceased for a few days during the week of Christmas. Work resumed on December 28 (photo taken December 28, 2011, 1:00 p.m.)

The back and sides of the auditorium have been removed (photo taken December 28, 2011, 1:00 p.m.)

The school's stage area, taken from the north side of the building (December 28, 2011, 1:00 p.m.)

A few of the school's old lockers remain in the area east of the office (December 28, 2011, 1:00 p.m.)

By 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 29, the office area has been removed and workers are clearing debris. The overhead part of the auditorium is all that remains.