Retrospect: Board approved new HS

The construction of what would become Jay County High School cleared a hurdle 45 years ago this week.

Board member Al Diener of Dunkirk cast the final vote Oct. 30, 1972, that Jay School Board needed to sign contracts for building a new county-wide high school as well as a new elementary school in Portland and additions to two other schools in the county.

The measure was passed 4-2, but not without a few tense moments. Had Diener cast a no vote, it would have been 3-3 which would have left board president Hugh Miller to break the tie at the next meeting.

All Diener’s yes vote did expedited the process, because Miller “would probably have been present to cast the deciding vote in favor of signing the high school contracts,” The Commercial Review reported.

After the board hashed out changes to the various contracts, it inked deals for four major projects, two of which included the construction of new buildings. One was a new county-wide high school which would mark the end of the county’s five remaining high schools — Bryant, Dunkirk, Pennville, Portland and Redkey. The other new building is now East Elementary in Portland.

The contracts also included additions to both Westlawn Elementary in Dunkirk and Pennville Elementary.