Withrow was an alternative school that also had Construction and welding programs. “It was alternative, but not alternative bad, just alternative different.” It gave students a secondary choice, with less people. “The students that were overwhelmed by the big school here could have a place to go, or if they were interested in Welding or Construction.”
“Yeah, I had a really good time over there, you get to really know the students. Since there was a small number (There were only like 50 kids) I got to know the kids personally and help them grow.” WIthrow’s opportunities were limited because it didn’t have as many classes or pathways such as the ones here at harding. “It had good parts and bad parts.”
To make it short, the lack of classes and the ancient building are the main reasons for the building closing down. “It wasn’t as effective to keep it open, money wise.” There were a little bit of all kinds of kids attending Withrow for various reasons. “We had some kids that struggled academically and behaviorally. We had some really strong academic students, so kids that were hands-on learners did really well there.”
Mr. Wheeler believed that the best thing about Withrow was the family atmosphere. “ A lot of times I told the kids there that I knew more about them than they might have known about themselves.” When asked about the issues with running Withrow he believed that it was mainly the facility itself.
“Being all the way on the other side of town made it a challenge for kids- It was hard to go back and forth between Harding and Withrow. I mean they’d have to be on a bus for 20 minutes each direction they went, so it made it a challenge- just the location of the school.” “We thought coming back over here and being able to house those two programs here- the construction and welding would give opportunities to more kids who wanted to do those programs and at the same time, for the kids that were at Withrow they’d have options of other things they could take while they were here that’s a part of the reason we moved back other here.”