Beaumont Enterprise Opinions Jan 13, 2010 There is a very large group of South Park High School alumni who are celebrating the judge's permanent order stopping demolition of the South Park High School building (with bond funds). To some who have not been blessed with growing up in a wonderful neighborhood as South Park, I can understand that the demolition of this building is simply a commercial matter but there is a community spirit that is behind the history of this building and that part of Beaumont. We were very blessed to have grown up there and to have had friendships that last until the present - 70 or more years later. To us this is not just a commercial consideration but rather the destruction of very special structure that is an emblem of great teachers, great learning experiences, great friendships, a great community and great memories. I believe there must be at least 10,000 former students who feel as I do about South Park High School. Rather than destroying the building, why not make it a building that provides a valuable community service? There is no way to describe the many, many great memories we have for South Park High School. This is not a matter of being against progress but rather a plea that we not "throw the baby out with the bath water." Jim Lanier, (Class of 1957), Huntsville