What is to Become of Flint Central High School’s Historical Building?

It seems that lately many of my posts on any given subject have ended with a question mark. That is because despite my opinionated nature, I don’t have all the answers. I wish I did. But last I checked, I ain’t God. Some of y’all may have checked the RSS feeds on the right side bar. On the Flint News, at one point was the feed that, Soon-to-close schools were cornerstones of Flint history, community. I didn’t pay too much attention to it. I put it in the back of my mind to check later. Just a little while ago, I found out that Flint Central High School is one of those schools.

Wikipedia tells this of Flint Central;

Flint Central High School is one of the Flint Community Schools, located in Flint, Michigan, USA. Flint Central is the city’s oldest school. Its first building was built in 1875, and the school moved into the present building in 1923. It was called Flint High School until Flint Northern High School was built in 1928. Approximately 1,450 students attend the school. Graduation ceremonies are held at Whiting Auditorium. The School is located in the East Village, near the corner of Crapo Street and Court Street.

In my Thanksgiving post, in which I talked of my grandfather’s (Phil Harding) Naval Service, I stated that he was part of Central High’s Class of 1943. Along with also being a good friend of Lynn Chandnois. Historically, Flint Central is the main high school in Flint. My great grandmother, Hazel (nee. Love) Harding, graduated from the original Flint High School.

Even though I grew up in the suburbs, I did have to attend Summer school. My high school did not offer classes for Summer school. They were in some sort of conjunction with Flint Schools where students could choose a Flint school to attend Summer School. I chose Central, despite it’s bad reputation. You would think that kids from Flint who were in Summer School would be bad. But they weren’t. I met some really nice kids there I had a nice chance to check out the Flint Library that was sort of next to the Flint Central High School Building. And learn some of Flint history. I got to flip through some of the yearbooks that had my grandfather and great grandmother in them.

Oh, back to the Flint Central building. Even though there was interior graffiti, I was able to see beyond that. The architecture was absolutely gorgeous! I was saddened to see the decline of the architecture. Now it looks like it may be thrown to the trash heap of Flint life. To be left to vandals. I pray that something, anything can be done with this part of Flint history. I would think that with the historical value of the building that it could somehow be classified under Historical Building Protection status.

Perhaps Flint Schools could have some sort of “attic sale,” for Central and many of the other older buildings of schools that they are closing. This would be beneficial both financially and historically. Alumni and others who want a piece of Flint nostalgia could purchase pieces from the school, whether those be building supplies or actual items. But please do not just tear down the building or let it sit and allow many of the architecture and inanimate objects go to waste.

If Flint was in a much better situation, the building could be turned into some sort lofty froo-froo overpriced loft apartments for yuppies. But Flint is and never has been a hip town. May have once been happening, but not hip. And that’s what makes Flint so great. It’s that down to earth feeling that separates it from the rest of the big cities. Even if Flint can get back on her feet, I never want to see her become a place for hipsters to gather. Keep her gritty, personality not physically.

Damn, I want I a Flint Style Coney.

Thinking about my grandfather, it makes one have regrets about not asking more questions of what it was like for them growing up in situations. I recall bits and pieces he told me about that mansion looking building that was behind Central. He said it used to be a “funny farm.” Recalling from the story he told me, the boys used to tell the girls that a patient would escape and was roaming the halls of Central, or some such, to scare them. Sadly, he passed away about 16 years ago, so I can not retrieve more stories form him, about both Flint and Detroit. My mother is in contact with her aunts, his sisters, who attended Central. I hope to get stories and pictures from them.