A Melancholy Return to Springfield

As noted earlier, Garnet Valley traveled to Springfield for a Central League football game Friday night, which Garnet Valley won 49-6 to improve to 9-0.

But this isn't about that...

New SHS, north end

As a Garnet Valley band parent, we sat in the visitors' bleachers. I am told that we were the first event for which the visitors' bleachers were open. Which was kinda cool...

New SHS, south end

They were very nice bleachers, looking out across the new SHS football stadium and home stands to the new high school building beyond, which is an amazing-looking modern building.

Which is where the surreal part begins.

In addition to being a GVHS parent, I am SHS class of 1984, younger brother to another SHS graduate.

Our Springfield High School was a building that used to exist on the plot of ground that is now an empty muddy hole behind the visitors' bleachers; cordoned off as a dangerous construction zone.

Build the new school on the old athletic fields. When done, knock the old school down and make new athletic fields. Makes perfect sense. The old high school was built in the 1950's, and would certainly have gotten to the point where trying to renovate it would have become impractical.

But that doesn't make it easier to accept the fact that they have knocked down my SHS, and left a muddy hole in the ground. Even the muddy hole will soon be gone, replaced by an expanse of flat grassy athletic fields.

The new facilities look great from the outside; sleek and modern. And there is a nice alleyway called Cougar Alley (?) between the home stadium stands and the new school building that includes a bunch of bronze plaques honoring past Springfield honorees in the areas of sports, the arts and teachers/administration.

It was...bittersweet...to read these plaques and recognize that I knew some of these people. Braden Montgomery, a favorite AP English teacher of mine who died too young. Tim McFadden class of 1982 who I was in trumpet section with and went on to play trumpet professionally. Teachers and students in band, orchestra, chorus, theater, the sciences, and on and on.

The names of teachers and administrators come flooding back (mostly high school, but some E T Richardson Middle School). Earl Knorr (principal). Luca Del Negro (band and orchestra). Richard Miller Jr (my middle school band director) and Richard Miller Sr (my first trumpet teacher). Dennis Bartow (biology). Joe Zumpano (physics and Moody Blues fan!). Helen Sebold (math and Scott's Hi-Q). Peg Lamb (Scott's Hi-Q and the best English teacher I never actually had for classes). Braden Montgomery. Mr Zappacosta. And others too numerous to mention. But...the ones I have mentioned played a huge role in my high school years...

And the friends and classmates... It was a long time ago. But not so long if you concentrate hard enough.

I'm not quite sure where this ramble is going, but it is nice that the travel trip to this particular football game stirred up so many memories.

And also bittersweet to accept the fact that these memories are tied to a physical place that is gone forever.

I suppose that this kind of thing is where the phrase "gone but not forgotten" comes from.

Indeed. Gone but not forgotten.