By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
Harold Kraus, 84, Hays, walked the hallways of Washington Elementary with his former first-grade classmate Aletha Denning, Hays, during Washington’s Elementary’s Farewell Open House Wednesday evening and admitted both were emotional.
“We have shared a few tears today,” Kraus said.
Denning and Kraus toured their former classroom and shared memories.
“The fireplace is still there. We learned ‘Up on the Housetop’ there. … I remember that so vividly,” Denning said, as she laughed and walked to stand in the spot her former desktop sat. “So many memories. … I can still see where I sat in this room.”
Wednesday’s farewell to Washington Elementary included tears and laughter as hundreds showed up to reminisce and look back on old yearbooks and scrapbooks saved since Washington opened its doors in 1926.
Washington’s last day as an elementary school is May 19. The USD 489 school board voted in December to repurpose Washington to house Early Childhood Connections.
Amy Werth, Hays, sent both her now college-aged daughters to Washington and explained how she felt with a word echoed by many during the evening.
“Sad,” Werth said. “(Washington) was just a nice environment for the girls. … They got to know the kids really well and we knew all the kids. … It was nice — a family.”
Werth’s daughter, Lakin Werth, said she was disappointed she would not get the chance to send her future kids to the school, saying she felt Washington’s “close-knit” environment helped mold her to be the successful college student she is today.
Roger Moses, Hays, has a granddaughter who has attended Washington for the last two years and will enter the second grade at different elementary school this fall.
“I wish I was coming back next year and the year after that and the year after that,” Moses said. “This is the best school in Hays. … It is more diversified than other schools, and this was the perfect home for them. … There should have been a way of saving it.”
Allen Park has been principal at Washington for the last 26 years and is now serving as transition coordinator. Park has already assigned all students and staff to other schools and will continue to monitor the success of his students, many of whom are English-language learners.
Park said the open house was a bit like a family reunion as he greeted former students and staff members.
“When you look at some of the old scrapbooks, family was very important and it was like that before I came,” Park said, adding out of all the yearbooks and pictures surrounding him he could not answer a question people had asked him all day: “What is your best memory?”
“It was such a blessing to have worked with such awesome staff members and families over the years, and I just couldn’t think of one specific memory. There has been so many good memories,” Park said. “The district has been great, and I have been so blessed to have been a part of it.”
