Retrospect: Board OK’d West Jay building

As Jay School Board members grapple with school closings, their counterparts 40 years ago this week faced a very different decision.

On Feb. 19, 1979, board members voted 5-1 to build a new West Jay Junior High School to replace the old Dunkirk High School building.

The cost of the new structure was estimated between $2.6 and $3 million, and the school corporation had enough in its cumulative building fund to pay for it without a bond issue.

Board member Paul Harrison, an advocate for the project, was joined by Jane Ann Thompson, Max Wolford, George Smith and board president Ernie Loy in approving the new construction.

Longtime board member Hugh Miller voted in dissent, saying he’d like to have a study done before taking action.

“I’d just like to get the most for the taxpayer’s dollar,” said Miller. “I agree there needs to be a new building.”

Board member Barbara Peters was absent when the vote was taken.

In March of 1979, the board hired James Associates, Indianapolis, as architect for the new school building.