An aerial photo of the construction phase of what is now Piggott Elementary School. (file photo) [Click to enlarge]

Excitement filled the air on Aug. 21, 30 years ago, as PHS students waited outside their new high school building. New classrooms, offices, hallways, and a gymnasium were all ready for the 1978-1979 school year. Both students and teachers alike were thrilled about moving into the new building. The purpose for this new building was that there was an overflow of students and the school district needed the space.

The building was designed by architects Harold Porterfield and Pat Donnellan from Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the contractor was Brown Construction Company out of Dexter, Mo. In the Dec. 16, 1976, issue of the Times, the drawing of the new building was released. School board members at the time of the release included president Gerald Runyon, secretary Paul G. Garrison, Gardner Long, Bill Dickerson, Charles Hinkle and Bill Morgan. R.E. Pogue was the superintendent of the school district.

The new building would include seven classrooms, chemistry and science labs, a physics room, a library, an art room, a language arts room, a gym/cafeteria, space for business and home economics classes, offices, and a teacher workroom. The building would contain 43,000 square feet of space and be 365 feet long. Total cost of the project was $991,765. Contractors moved on site, which was the east half of the old Parker Field, in April of 1977. The project was supposed to be completed in 442 work days and ready for occupancy in two years.

In the July 21, 1977, issue of the Times, superintendent Pogue gave a report that the building was ahead of schedule with the walls already going up.

When the new building opened, 407 students were enrolled at PHS. From 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 17, 1978, there was an open house to show members of the community the new building.

When asked about her experience at the new building, PHS English teacher, Mrs. Regina Crittenden, said, "It was a nuisance to have to pack everything up (and move), but when we got there, we were delighted. We were very pleased with the layout of the building. My classroom had windows that looked out over the highway, and in the springtime, I would open the windows and we could hear the tractors out in the field."

Mr. Danny Self, another teacher at the time of the opening said he loved the amount of board space he had in his classroom. He also recalled, "The parking lot wasn't finished, so it was a muddy, sloppy mess. My truck got stuck a time or two."

Mrs. Mary Ann Crowson, the PHS librarian said, "We were all excited about having a new school. Everyone had to share lockers (in the old school), some of which were in the English classroom. Except for riding the bus back to this (the current) campus, no one had to go outside the building." Crowson also said, "The first time we got to see it, it looked huge compared to what we had. Miss Irwin (now Mrs. Gwen McKenney) and I were interested in the gym because we were prom sponsors. The library excited me with all the room and storage and real walls and a door that locked."

Mrs. Faith Conley, a junior at the time of the opening said, "I thought it was very cool (to be in the new building). The old building had wood floors and didn't have air conditioning so it was nice to have air conditioning. It was exciting and made us very happy to be the first junior class to host prom in the gym." Conley currently teaches geometry, pre-calculus, and is the senior high cheerleader sponsor at PHS.

Mrs. Jennifer McPherson, who teaches special education at PES and PHS and a new orientation to teach class at PHS, was a member of the first class to graduate from the new campus. She said, "I was both sad and excited. The sadness came from leaving the old building. It had been our academic home for five years. There were a lot of great memories there for us. The excitement came from the newness of everything." Recalling her reaction when she saw the building for the first time, she said, "It was bright. The old building had dark wood panels that made the rooms seem darker."

McPherson also noted that students came back to the current PHS campus for band and athletics. This was because of the gym at the new structure not being regulation size and the fact that there was no band room at the new building. The gym at the new structure was used primarily for physical education classes. "We rode a bus to band and athletics," she said.

The old PHS building is no longer the high school. It became the elementary school in 1998. It was built onto that same year. Several generations have made memories in those hallways, and now the youngest Piggott students have that opportunity. The building may serve as the elementary school now, but it will always be remembered as good old PHS.