West Side wants photos for 90th anniversary celebration
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, February 27, 2019
By BRIAN GRAVES
West Side Elementary School has seen thousands of faces go through its halls during the last nine decades, and organizers of a special event hope the people behind those faces have memories they can share.
The school will celebrate its 90th anniversary on March 26 with a special community gathering at the school.
It will begin at 6 p.m. that evening and refreshments will be provided.
Sandra Spanks, who currently teaches at Picayune Memorial High School, is going back to college to get an administrative license and West Side Elementary Principal Kerri Wilder is her mentor.
“One of the jobs she gave me was to plan this celebration,” Spanks said.
With the idea to keep it simple, Spanks and Wilder are asking the community to send in any photos they may have from their time at the school that can be displayed at the celebration.
Spanks said the search is on for photos from the school’s first operating year of 1928 through the year 2000.
“We are asking for pictures from those who attended there, worked there or from any occasion they, their friends or family might have been at during those years,” she said.
Once the photographs are collected, they will be combined into a large display for those attending the celebration to relive their times at the school.
“We want to let the community know West Side is actually turning 90 and we want them involved,” Spanks said.
She said anyone with photos can either drop them off at the school or mail them to West Side Elementary, 111 Kirkwood St., Picayune, MS 39466.
All photos should be marked with a name and address on the back so they can be returned.
Photos can also be sent electronically by email to spanksr@bellsouth.net. Emails with the submitted image should include the a name and address so credit can be included with the photograph. Spanks also asks for a date when the photo was taken and identification of anyone in the picture.
Spanks said pictures should be received by Friday, March 22, but she will continue to accept them up to the date of the celebration.
