A last look at East

YOUNGSTOWN — The halls were dimly lighted, musty and cold; many of the classrooms were in disarray and a few hall lockers stood partially open.

Warming up the atmosphere at the recently vacated East Middle School, though, were the numerous fond memories   many people had from when they attended it when it was East High School.

Visitors were on hand Saturday for a three-hour final walk-through to see the school, 1544 East High St., before its date with the wrecking ball in January.

People slowly walked through and took in the sights and feelings of the many classrooms in the three-story building as they recalled their time at the school. Others gathered in the cafeteria, gym or auditorium with former classmates and friends they hadn’t seen in awhile and shared memories with one another.

An abundance of memories flooded back for Lil Greene, a 1970 East graduate, as she perused a hallway on the second floor. Greene, now of Mineral Ridge, called the walk-through “a flight back in time” and had fond memories of her days as a cheerleader, homecoming queen and prom queen.

“I had so many beautiful days here,” said Greene, who works for J&L Mortgage Funding. “The halls go back to events that were part of your life.”

Greene said she thinks of classmates who are deceased as well as others she hasn’t seen in a long time. She also recalled how large the auditorium seemed when she came down the aisles dressed as a cheerleader and how small it looks to her now.

“You feel the laughter that took place with certain friends in those days,”   Greene added.

East High School opened in 1925 and remained a high school until 1998, when it became East Middle School. Earlier this month, its last pupils were transferred to nearby P. Ross Berry Middle School; the new East Middle School is slated to open in 2007 as part of the district’s $182 million schools construction project.