School Building Demolition
A view of the remains of the old elementary school is in the foreground, and in the background is the lunchroom, with classrooms added on the second and third floors. PHOTO | Cassie Branham
By Erica Branham
Cumberland County Elementary School was the oldest operating school building, standing in the heart of Burkesville. It has been held for many generations and has been a steppingstone in every child’s education.
A former student, Neal Poindexter, set foot in CCES only in the fifth grade, but he still remembers how important that short time was for him. All through his school years up to the eighth grade, Neal was in nine different schools. When reminiscing on his time as an elementary school student, he remembers the old theater in town, where the Justice Center is now, was the popular place to hang out. He had a lot of fun there and made many memories, but he vividly remembers some times at CCES.
“I was in the top left room of the Elementary School when President Kennedy got shot,” he said, another core moment he remembers from his time as a young student. Furthermore, he saw many changes throughout his years there, just as much change as students are seeing today. He noted that the demolition isn’t as sad because he gets to see the students move in, which is a very joyful occasion.
Retired teachers, Mr. Eric Branham and Mrs. Sharon Anderson both taught in the old Elementary School up until they retired. Mr. Eric began student teaching in 1999 and retired in 2024, while Mrs. Sharon began in 1994 and retired in 2019. “It’s bittersweet seeing the old building go down, but change is inevitable. It’s nice to see the kids move into a new school,” Mr. Eric added. His favorite days as a schoolteacher were when he taught PE. He had his own way of teaching his students, and they all enjoyed it, which made him so memorable.
“It makes me sad to see the old school demolished because of the memories, but I am so happy the kids are getting a brand-new school,” Mrs. Sharon noted. She loved the kids and seeing them learn new things. Both said they valued their time teaching in the old Cumberland County Elementary.
Snapshot of the rubble from CCES where the new playground will sit from the window of a classroom in the new building. To the left is the gymnasium, and the building in the middle distance was the kindergarten, but became the Little Panthers Daycare, which it remains. PHOTO | Cassie Branham
Mrs. Lori Branham is a 3rd grade teacher at CCES, currently going through this huge change. She’s been a teacher in Cumberland County for 22 years. She taught every grade at CCES at some point in her career. She’s also been a special education teacher. She explains how it’s definitely been a new experience for the faculty, staff, and students trying to adapt to this change due to the demolition of the building during the school year, and she has mixed emotions about it all. One of her favorite years of teaching was during the COVID year. She taught fourth grade and had a fairly small class, but she and the students always had an enjoyable time.
“I’m excited to teach in the new school. I think it will be a cool experience,” she said.
It isn’t the building itself, however, that people remember, but the memories experienced inside of it that make it truly special. As a student myself, I walked through the halls of CCES from kindergarten all the way to fifth grade. It was a place where I learned to read and write, solve basic math problems, comprehend the branches of government, understand the water cycle, and so on, but it was also the place where I met my best friends and began discovering who I wanted to be.
Driving by the rubble of what once was a significant part of my life saddens my heart just a bit, although the moments I encountered in that building I get to cherish forever.
