Historic Ward School Bell Relocated to DMS

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ At 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, the historic steel bell of the old J.B. Ward School was gently lifted into place on a newly fabricated steel yoke at the entrance to the Du Quoin Middle School on East Jackson Street. With a very thoughtful regard to history.

Du Quoin school superintendent Dr. Gary Kelly, business manager Cory Robbins, Du Quoin Middle School maintenance employee David Martin (pictured), industrial arts instructor Steve Imhoff, Tri-J Machine, Inc. and George's Excavating owner Dennis George (pictured) came up with a plan to give the bell its new home. Martin and Imhoff worked together on a site layout, the steel uprights and the yoke. Tri-J Machine built the mount and Martin and Imhoff will work together to brick the base and steel uprights. The original J.B. Ward School was constructed in 1887 at a cost of $30,000.

The school that was demolished in July 2004 had been reconstructed in 1937 at a cost of $104,000 as part of the Depression-era WPA Project.

John H. Croessman Photo