decorahnews.com reader Kevin Lee weighs in with a comment about repairs to John Cline School

(The following comment has been submitted by Kevin Lee of Decorah):

"The Decorah Community School Board toured John Cline Elementary School on Monday evening prior to its regular board meeting. They got to experience first-hand the impact of 98 degree heat in a building with no air conditioning. Several of the main issues that put John Cline renovation on the "to do" list included:

• No air conditioned classrooms (exception is the computer lab)
• Eight classroom... areas that are "interior" rooms with no external lighting
• Need for more classroom space
• Air ventilation/circulation problems, particularly with interior rooms
• Floor buckling that will eventually require mud jacking
• Small gymnasium space that doubles as cafeteria.

Once upon a time we had a school with natural ventilation and a state of the art forced air system adaptable to LEED.

Once upon a time we had a school with plenty of natural light through good wood double sash windows for each student, part of the ventilation system.

Once upon a time we had a school with big open classrooms, well lit with natural light and plenty of fresh air.

Once upon a time we had a school with transoms over each interior door and a giant blower in the basement to force cool and warm air throughout the building.

Once upon a time we had a school with 2 ft. walls of stone and brick with clear maple flooring and a well pitched roof to get the water away from the building. The extremely solid floor set in solid masonry that was not bearing on a soggy bottom. .

Once upon a time we had a school that was built to last hundreds of years and listed on the national register of historic properties with spacious rooms that were adaptable to make other spaces temporarily.

That school was torn down and now we are lacking the very things it provided at a great cost."