by Suzanne Lechner

Eventually, the Chamblee High School building will be torn down. The money will somehow be found, the right permits gotten, and a functional traffic plan proposed. Then, the new building will become the central part of thousands of students’ lives.

Before that happens, I would like to take a moment to remember the five things I liked about the Chamblee building and why I will miss it when I go off to college.

One: The closed courtyards were a peaceful place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the school day. Each with its own water feature, they felt separate from the rest of the building and were closed off to younger students.

Two: While they did not always open, most classrooms had almost a wall of windows. These let in sunlight and helped to brighten otherwise drab classrooms. The windows that could be opened let in fresh air and regulated the air temperature when the air conditioning was not on.

Three: The line of oak trees in front of the school separated us from the road and gave the school an identity different from any other school in the county. The trees also provided shade to students who stayed after school waiting for their parents or doing homework.

Four: The painted walls in the bathroom, most notably the girls’ bathroom on the junior hallway where the stalls are painted to look like thrones, made it more fun to use, especially when you were in there for a while. They bring back memories of upperclassmen who graduated before us and add a splash of color.

Five: The thing I will miss the most is the cockroaches. They are a Chamblee legacy, as much a part of the school as the colors blue and gold. They were a part of our family, scuttling through the walls and eating our garbage. I almost feel sorry for the younger generation of Chamblee students who will not get to brag about killing the cockroach in their first period or how everyone screamed and tried to stand on their chairs.

Goodbye Chamblee building, and we will miss you, smaller inhabitants. Thank you for housing us and giving us a bright place to learn.