Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Flint School Closings: Central High and Civic Park Elementary on List of Eight

The verdict is in on school closings in Flint. The Flint Board of Education approved its 2009-10 budget today, and it appears six schools will get the ax at the end of this year:

Central High School
Anderson Elementary
Civic Park Elementary
Garfield Elementary
Merrill Elementary
Stewart Elementary

Coolidge and Wilkins elementaries will close at the end of next year.
at 8:48 PM
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16 comments:

  1. Well civic park caught fire on my Birthday in 1972. Not that I had anything to do with it, If they asked, I'd fly up to do the honors this time.
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  2. Anybody have a map to show where all these schools are?
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  3. Is Powers going to buy all of them?
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  4. So I wonder what will happen to Central now?
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  5. Würstside WarlørdApr 30, 2009 06:36 PM
    Merrill, Civic Park, and Anderson?

    Lawndale, Pierson, and Selby are long gone too.

    How far does a kid in these neighborhood have to travel to school? What is left? Brownell? Summerfield? King? Dort?
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  6. I felt like I got punched in the gut when I read that Central was closing. As a part of the magnet program, I spent half my day in high school there. That's where my friends were and my favorite teachers. That's where we used to go exploring in the old wing after hours. But, aside from my personal memories, my mom went there, my grandma went there (in the 20's). It's a part of Flint's history and I'm afraid it's just going to become more urban decay.
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  7. OMG! I read on my RSS MLive.com Flint News Feed that Flint was closing a few schools. But Central High? Please tell me that there's another Flint Central High, other than the one by the library? It's not the school next to Whittier Jr. High? Can't be?
    My grandfather, Phil Harding who was also a good friend of Lynn Chandnois (sp?), graduated from Central in 1944. From what little history, I understand that the roots of Central make it the main Flint H.S.? Or that is how I figured from family stories. My great grandmother, Hazel Love (maiden) Harding, graduated the original Flint High School in 1915 or 1916.
    Even though I was from the suburbs, I had to take a Summer School class at Central. Despite the grafiti on the interior, I could see through that. The architecture was gorgeous! If Flint Schools are smart they will have some sort of attic sale. That would just be too sad to leave all that to vandals. Both from a historical and financial stand point.
    Can't Central get some sort of Historical Building Protection status?
    One more thing. My grandfather said that mansion looking building behind Central used to be a "Funny Farm." He said the boys used to scare the girls and tell them that one of the patients had escaped and was in the school or some such that boys do. Does anyone know about that?
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  8. When I last looked at the Flint Central newsletter online, I saw they were writing about asbestos issues.

    Still, you would think it would be worth it to keep that building.

    "My favorite buildings, are all laid to waste. You might as well sculpt a statue from toothpaste." Robyn Hitchcock.
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  9. I graduated from Flint Northern--the original building long gone. But, I'm sad for Central's closing, too, and for all you Central graduates. I feel your pain...
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  10. Yea. it sucks... I went to Cooidge 2nd to 3rd, then 5th and 6th.- closing, also attended Civic Park in 4th grade - closing, Flint Academy (old Northern Building) 9-10th - torn down, Central 11-12th, closing.

    Everything I touch turns to gold.

    Peter Johnson
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  11. When I attended Civic Park Elementary School in the 1960s, it was a jewel. The finest, most dedicated teachers, a wonderful neighborhood where children were safe walking to and from school and a first class education. I'm just browsing the Internet tonight and see that Civic Park is closing and the house I grew up in on Chevrolet Avenue is now an empty lot surrounded by many boarded up houses. It's more sad than I can say.
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  12. I graduated from Flint Central in 1994.....when we were the INDIANS. I think it was a disgrace for them to change the mascot to some fictional bird..... Flint Central INDIANS will always live on.
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  13. I attended Civic Park from grades K-6. Sad to hear of it's closing. My parents still live down the road from the school.
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  14. Sorry to see Civic Park sink into history, recognized as the first subdivison but not protected from economic decline. I especially hate to see the closure of Civic Park Elementary. An arsonist tried unsuccessfully to close it years ago, and myself and other scouts from Troop 43 ran inside to save the library from water damage. Hope all those guys are helping their current communities do well. Driving GM products in California....
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  15. Graduate of FCHS in 1972. Lots of memories, some good, some bad. It's hard to believe it's closed tho. But, such is progress. My mom and dad graduated from Central also back in the late 40's.
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