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Name: Helen D. Gunderson
Category: Former Rolfe student
Year: 1963
Contact: gunderson@globalccs.net
Remote Name: 207.199.197.31
Date: January 28, 2006
Time: 05:31 PM
Dear RHS friends and other Rolfe loyalists, On Monday morning, January 23, I heard that workers were beginning to demolish the three-story, west section of the Rolfe school building. It was built in 1917 and is now under the jurisdiction of the Pocahontas Area Community School District. I got my camera gear and other bags packed and was in Rolfe by about 2:30 to begin photographing and videotaping the demolition process.
By the end of the day on Thursday, January 26, most of the building had become a pile of rubble with only the lower third of the south face and the steel beams with clinging debris of the north section still standing. Although the demolition of the school is a cause for tears, frustration, and chagrin on the part of at least a few Rolfe people, it should be noted that the sun was shining and the skies were blue throughout the first week of demolition.
I returned to Gilbert (just north of Ames) on Thursday evening. Yesterday, though, I slept a lot and realized that watching the demolition for so many hours for so many days in order to get good images has been working on my soul, psyche, spirit, or something. So I didn’t get around to posting photos on the web site until last night, and then I pulled an all-nighter doing the job. I didn't think I was being all that much disturbed or saddened by what I saw happening. And yet, the images I saw while standing and watching the demolition with such close focus for so many hours, do stick with me. They exist not only in my photo files and on my videotapes, but they are within me, and far under the surface, some feelings of loss are stirring.
On one hand, the building was just a building, and the demolition of it does not affect my well-being. But the building is also symbolic and has the potential to be a window to travel through or a mirror to use for reflections in thinking about the public school part of my heritage (the good and the bad). This is a chance to grow through the process of looking through that window or into that mirror. I hope the photos will be helpful to you as well.
I have told several people that one of the intriguing things about the demolition was when the west wall was removed, revealing all the floors and rooms of the old part of the school. It was kind of like having a doll house and being able to take off the side and see all the rooms, nooks, and crannies. And I am impressed to think of all the Kindergarten through 12th grade personalities and activities that happened in that one building. Maybe some day, someone could make a "doll" replica of the Rolfe school. But even more importantly, maybe some of you or your friends will have the urge to write some memories or thoughts about your school days. And that is what has prompted me to recreate a message board for the web site. You can post messages here, or if you have longer pieces (for instance, in the form of memories, reflections, or an essay), you can email them to me, and I can create a new section of submitted materials and post your piece for you.