ACS BRIDGES THE STREAM

By Buffy Calvert

On June 10th, the entire ACS student body and faculty marched into a light rain to line the sidewalk in front of the new bridge across Liddle Brook where Dr. Chakar, State Senator Seward, members of the School Board and residents awaited them. First graders Ben Liddle and Emily McGowan stepped forward to grip the ends of a ribbon, holding it tight across the entrance. State Senator Seward snipped it. The long-awaited bridge was open.

The Senator had acquired a N.Y.S. grant of $140,000 to finance the restoration of the old bridge that had deteriorated since its construction in 1938. Its temporary replacement was a far cry from the original bluestone arch and wall. Dot Andrews, a graduate from the first class housed in Andes Central School, raised her voice in protest. The School Board listened and hired a firm to reconstruct it. As we all know, the project took a lot longer and more money than anyone expected. But it’s done!

Senator Seward said the best part of his job is seeing the results of help he has been able to direct. He recalled Ms. Andrews telling him that the podium provided when he initiated the program had been used by Eleanor Roosevelt when she spoke at ACS.  He feels honored to have spoken from it.

The students and crowd triumphantly trooped back in through the grand new entrance. ~