((PKG)) SCHOOL CLOSING
((Banner: Changing America - School Closing))
((Reporter/Camera: Deepak Dobhal))
((Map: Pulaski Township, Pennsylvania))
((Pop-Up Banner: Declining population and shrinking budgets are forcing school closures across rural America))
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
This was my first classroom. I came in the fourth grade when as a fourth grader, that's when the school opened and Mrs. Taylor was my teacher. I remember, we were told this was a new building and take care of it. We had to be real careful.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
Today, they're closing. They're auctioning off the Pulaski Elementary school building.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
This building is in Pulaski Township in Pennsylvania. We’re about an hour north of Pittsburgh and the school shut down in 2017. School Board decided to shutter the building and move students to the main building in New Wilmington.
And finally, today is the day we are going to be auctioning our building off.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
It's a shame. It’s just a….
((NATS: Auctioneer))
It’s really a good building. It’s really a great building. It was built back, I think, back in about 1965.
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
Well, I mean I grew up in Pulaski. I lived here my entire life and my parents are from the township, my grandparents and my great grandparents. So, we've been here for quite a long time.
((NATS: Auctioneer))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
With the school being here, we have an identity and now with that gone, you lose that. It’s not there. Part of the community is gone and a valuable part. It's, kind of, like your extended family. I suppose, to a lot of people, it doesn't mean anything, but to the people here, it means a lot.
((Joe Wilkins, Local Resident))
It's kind of bittersweet seeing the old school, kind of, going the way it did and everything, but, you know, at least I got to go here, my wife did, my son, both of my sisters went here.
And just, kind of, wanted to come back, reminisce and check out the old place before things are pretty much changed, I guess.
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
What the school district was trying to accomplish was to, they want to reduce spending.
((NATS: Auctioneer))
You should not have to think too hard with that kind of money that you can use this building….
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
We've just lost jobs in the area. Enrollment is dropping.
The teacher’s salary and pension and so forth that we have to pay into is huge. It's a big number. Both of the elementary schools that I went to in the district are closed. And there was originally in our district, there were five elementary schools, and the only one left open is the one in New Wilmington. All the rest have been closed.
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
Just, you just see that stuff happening and it's like the township is dying. It's just going away. When people move somewhere, they look for a school, a church and we've lost our schools.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
I just think that the school could have been used to enhance the district and grow the district. We're not unique in as far as consolidation and schools shutting down. That's happening all over. I would say our area and I'm sure across the United States.
((NATS: Auctioneer))
Hundred and fourteen thousand. It only hurts for a little while.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
The day that they voted to close it, in the back of my mind I thought this is a great building. There ought to be something that can be done with it.
((NATS: Auctioneer))
Last call. I sold it to you, hundred and thirteen, plus the premium….
((NATS: Locals with Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
Today, my wife and I, along with friends, now business partners, bought the building at auction.
What are you going to do with it?
We have ideas. Nothing is carved in stone yet but we will make something good out of it.
Not storage?
No, no.
We don't want that here.
No, we want a nice viable facility for the township.
((NATS))
((Joseph Goodge, Local Resident))
I was the first class in the building and my kids were the last class out of the building. And now I own the building, which I never would have expected. And it’s come full circle, and we hope to do something good for the community with it.
((NATS))
