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By Scott Mims | Community Columnist

A local group has volunteered their time, energy and funds toward restoring the columns and steps that stand on the property of the former Chilton County High School, and later, Henry M. Adair Junior High School in Clanton.

The site, located at 102 First St. S., has become a memorial of sorts to those who attended the school during its years at the location. Sadly, for years the old columns and steps sat in a largely empty field as ruins, with no concrete plans to beautify the area — until recently.

Now, the columns and steps have been pressure washed, painted and restored in the spirit of historical preservation. The property has also been landscaped with pine straw and flowers. Those who wish to see the improvements but might not live in the area can view photos on the group’s Facebook page “CCHS Historical Structure Beautification Project.”

“I have an appreciation for our community coming together to preserve the memories of the CCHS/Henry M. Adair historical structure,” Vickey Grooms, who coordinated the project alongside her husband Jerry, said. “We are blessed with citizens, young and old, that stepped up to give their time, labor and donations.”

Plans for the building date back to 1913 when the Commissioners Court of Chilton County, under Probate Judge Louis Henry Reynolds, appropriated $4,000 for the construction of a new high school. An additional $4,000 — intended to be raised locally and matched by the State of Alabama — was to supplement the project, and professor James Joseph Pickens is credited with local fundraising efforts.

The original 20 acres of land was donated by Dr. Jesse Earl Gowan and Dr. Amzi Meek Gowan, and the contract was awarded to J. H. Roberts & Sons. Construction was completed by the end of 1914 at the cost of $18,000.

Unfortunately, the original CCHS building was lost to a fire in 1938. The building most people remember today and see in photos was built and opened in September of 1940. When the current building of CCHS was constructed on Seventh Street South in 1962, the old building became Henry M. Adair Jr. High School. Finally, when the current Clanton Middle School was constructed in 2005, the old building was demolished, aside from the columns and adjoining steps.

“About a year ago, I became serious with the CCHS historical structure knowing the structure needed a facelift,” said Jerry Grooms. “I did not go to school in Chilton County, however, my wife Vickey did. She has the best school spirit, even after 50 years, and stays in contact with most of her classmates and CCHS alumni.”

Grooms is a Wetumpka native who served in the U.S. Air Force and relocated to Clanton in 1974. Since then, he has served in the American Legion Post 6 and participated in the American Flag raising at CCHS home games since the construction of Tiger Stadium.

“The orange and blue (have) grown on me,” Jerry Grooms said, noting that both of his children and three granddaughters attend or have attended CCHS. “I decided for the structure to become beautiful again, I needed to take the leadership role and get things happening.”
After talking with Chris Speaks, a local attorney who is a descendant of the original land donors, and Chilton County Schools Superintendent Corey Clements, permission was granted from the Board of Education to organize alumni and citizens to beautify the property.
“He supported me in each phase of the project,” Jerry Grooms said. “Social media was our way of communication.”

There were three monetary contributions to the project — one from the CCHS Class of 1961, one from an Atlanta-area donor whose father graduated from CCHS in the 1940s and a Tuscaloosa-area donor.

The biggest expense was pressure washing, which was done by Cole Hight of Water Wizard Exterior Cleaning. Other materials and labor were provided by the following:

• Iron cut by C.D. Niles and Scott McKee.
• Lattice installed over the crawlspace from the back by an anonymous donor; material provided by Russell Do-It Center.
• Painting by Superintendent Corey Clements; paint provided by Mullins Decorating Center.
• Two cement planters donated by Nancy Johnson; painted by Jerry Grooms.
• Arrangements in the planters were two UV-resistant artificial flower arrangements provided by Becky Patterson at Pinedale Gardens.
• Weed fabric, pine straw, a dozen outdoor flowers and fertilizer provided by Sandra Blackwell at Blackwell Nursery; Jerry Grooms laid the fabric and planted the flowers.
• Ten bales of pine straw provided by Heather Baker; Jerry and Vickey put out the pine straw.
• Hailey Davis Lively, art teacher at Clanton Intermediate, provided consultation and advised against painting a mural on the inside of the structure in the interest of historical preservation.

Vickey Grooms hinted that a second phase of the project could potentially include the placement of benches and trees, as long as it is approved by the BOE. No timeframe was mentioned for the next phase.