WINNSBORO – The alumni of Fairfield High School will be showing off the restoration of their beloved alma mater this weekend when they invite the community to an Open House at the school. The event is set for this Sunday, Oct. 1, 3–5 p.m.
Alumni Association vice president Robert Davis (class of ‘66), front left, and president Don Prioleau (class of ‘62) and some of their former schoolmates stand in front of the school they attended and later helped restore to it’s original charm.
“I think everyone will be surprised to see how it looks now,” Don Prioleau, class of ‘62 and alumni association president since 1995 said, proudly. “It’s almost completely restored – floors, doors, windows, roof, eight classrooms, cafeteria, everything. It’s really beautiful.”
Prioleau said the group had long been determined to save their school even if they had to do the work themselves…and that’s pretty much what happened.
“About the only cost of labor was the roof,” Prioleau said. “The alumni pitched in and did most of the work ourselves.”
“This building has the kind of quality you don’t see much anymore,” Jean McCrory, class of ‘64 and chairman of the scholarship committee said. “It’s very well constructed, with high ceilings, thick walls, wide hallways and hardwood floors. Our goal was to preserve the original character of the building as much as possible.”
Prioleau said the alumni’s goal has always been for the renovated building to serve the community in a variety of recreational and educational endeavors such as a meeting place for scout troops and tutoring services.
The devotion the former students have for the school is alive and well. They hold alumni meetings at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month.
The Open House will include a very short program on the school’s history, a welcome and a tour of the renovations. Light refreshments will be served on the lower level.
“The combined work of so many people has kept the spirit of the restoration alive,” McCrory said. “This project is very dear to our hearts. That school produced some very good people.”