Small Town News

EWU breaks ground on Reid School garden

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Meditation Garden will honor elementary school that closed due to cuts

The dream of a Reid Lab School Mediation Garden at Eastern Washington University took a big step forward when ground was broken on the construction phase of the on-campus project last Tuesday, July 20.

The idea for the garden came from a group of former faculty and students who wanted a way to pay tribute to the school that was closed down over a year ago, a victim of budget cuts and the need for costly repairs. The 29-by-20-foot garden, with three colors of brick pavers, a basalt rock fountain, lights and iron seating will be built near the historic Cheney Normal School Heritage Center one-room school house just east of the central mall.

The Reid Lab School Remembrance Committee (RSRC) sold red, cinnamon and ivory personalized bricks to help fund the project. Committee co-chair Dr. Jack Martin said approximately 100 brick were sold at $100 (red), $500 (cinnamon) and $1,000 (ivory) to fully fund the project costs, estimated at between $12,000 and $15,000.

"We're solvent," Martin said.

While the project is paid for, bricks can still be purchased for the garden, which also allows the individual to add a three-line, 20-space-per-line statement of remembrance. Martin said individuals may feel a desire to express a sentiment or fond memory about Reid, but haven't done so yet. Any additional monies received will go towards augmenting the project's beauti-fication.

Built in 1959, Reid Lab School first served the university's education department as a place where education students could observe teaching methods through windows on an observation deck. For the past 23 years the school was a collaborative effort between the university and the Cheney School District with the district providing staff and curriculum and Eastern paying the facilities operating costs.

The garden is designed as a peaceful place where people can sit, study, meditate and look at the one-room schoolhouse. Those wishing to contribute can do so by sending a check for the desired colored brick to Pat Cogley, treasurer, 15206 S. Cedar Lake Road, Cheney, WA 99004.

Checks should be payable to "Reid School Remembrance Fund." Martin said monies are banked through the EWU Foundation, and are tax-deductible.

John McCallum can be reached at imac@cheneyfreepress.com.



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© 2010 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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