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Freemasons look to donate cornerstone

NEW SCHOOL SITE — Joe Swanteck, second from left, project manager for Hammond Construction, talked with Harrison Hills City School District board members Melvin Allen, left, Deborah Kenny and D.J. Watts at the new school construction site. - Dylan McKenzie

CADIZ — The Harrison Hills City School District Board of Education recently discussed the installation of a cornerstone for its new school building.

The board met at the construction site of the new school complex just off of state Route 9, along with representatives from Hammond Construction, Randall L. Gallagher Monuments and local Freemasons from Cadiz and Freeport. They discussed placing the monument cornerstone on the new school campus.

Greg Trellis and Doug Crabtree represented Masonic lodges 219 and 415, from Cadiz and Freeport, respectively, and said the Masons of the county are interested in donating the cornerstone to help commemorate the new construction of the K-12 complex. The new building is scheduled to be open for the 2019-20 school year.

“This is the biggest thing to happen in Harrison County in my lifetime,” said Trellis about why the Masons want to contribute the stone to the new school.

During the discussion, the two Masons presented preliminary ideas about the cornerstone to the board and Randy Gallagher. The group agreed the ideal place for the new stone would be at the main entrance to the high school building.

Trellis and Crabtree suggested a phrase for the stone: “Education Lights the Way.” Gallagher said his business would work up some designs to present at a later date.

“This would be a pretty big deal for the Masons to do this,” said Trellis.

Crabtree said the ceremony to place the stone would be attended by around 50-60 Masons from across the state, including state officials for the group.

The board said it will look into a date in late July or early August to hold the stone-placing ceremony, which will be open to the public.

“We really appreciate the effort of you guys taking the time to try and coordinate this,” said Trellis.

Superintendent Dana Snider said seniors and juniors will travel to the construction site Wednesday and Thursday to sign their names on a beam that will be placed inside the new complex.

The ceremonial signing will ensure that even students who graduate before the new building is constructed will still be there in some form.

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