Central High’s Case of the Missing Auditorium
WHERE’S THE AUDITORIUM?– Central High School has been promised an auditorium for 45 years, it was even in the original blueprints!
October 24, 2016
With over 1,000 students roaming the halls of Central High School, things can get pretty tight when it comes to sticking those 1,000 students in the Central gym for a school event or pep rally.
From band and choir concerts, to pep rallies and talent shows, and different organization events, students are enraged to hear that an auditorium was supposed to be provided to the new Central when it moved from Dodds Avenue 45 years ago.
Although, Central has been a phenomenal school and has had a lot of history in the Hamilton County area, the Hamilton County School Board has not being fulfilling their promises to Central and forcing students to deal with the issue of small spaces in the fine arts department.
On The Chattanooga Times Free Press, an article regarding the picking of the new superintendent gave some juicy details regarding future plans that will be occurring in the Hamilton County area schools. One of the future plans that struck the student body was the approval of buying more land for athletic fields at Ooltewah High School.
The question that has been occurring in student’s heads is, “why?” With all of the excellent programs at Central, including a talented choir and superior band, having to travel all of the way to Georgia to preform is a little outrageous, considering that Central was promised an auditorium over 45 years ago.
“It honestly makes me so upset because Ooltewah has plenty of fields and more than enough space for everything. Meanwhile, at Central, I have to constantly worry about stepping on someone’s instrument or not even having enough chairs for everyone to sit with reasonable space. Plus, our percussion instruments are getting destroyed because of lack of room and our poor color guard has a tiny room to fit all of their equipment, and it’s just not fair.”stated sophomore band student, Rebekah Pell.
Not only could many concerts and other events be held at Central with the addition of an auditorium, but the theater class can have a good place to practice, rather than the armory or choir room where they usually hold practices.
“We can have space to finally work on our plays and it would be a good benefit for the [theater] class,” said senior, Hannah Holmberg.
Overall, if the student body of Central High stands up and pushes for a response from Central Office, getting a new auditorium might actually be in the future for Central High. But without the help of the student body, Central’s voice can only be heard so much. Remember, the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the oil!
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Debbie Walker • Oct 26, 2016 at 9:44 PM
After having four daughters attend Central and see the intense discrimination among public high schools when it comes to distributing monies from our county commissioners and the delay in making things happen unless law suits are threatened, why not let’s be fair and equal as we we’re meant to be. Maybe if you invested in these Central students, athletes and artistic students alike, then you wouldn’t have so many families seeking “hardship”, whatever that means any more is a loss to me, and they would seek out Central and the auditorium is a step in that direction. Acoustic concerts, musicals, classic theatre…… You know there are students who would thrive in that environment but you’ll never know unless you introduce it to them. Having that space seems reasonable since there are so many other high schools with an auditorium. If you want something different , you’ve got to do something different!
Heather Petriccione • Oct 25, 2016 at 12:51 PM
Auditorium for Central High!!!!!