Freeman High School in the snow - 1962

Now here's something you don't see anymore, a Richmond area high school student at school when it's snowing.

Photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Westhampton School, The Redskins & Bon Secours

I'll take another slight jump into politics on this blog by saying that I'm not a fan of the deal the city is offering the Redskins and Bon Secours for the proposed Redskins training facility. The Redskins pay nothing in this deal, Bon Secours gets a 60 year/$5,000 a year lease on the Westhampton property, and millions of dollars are diverted from Richmond Public Schools to pay for the construction of the Redskins' training camp. Possibly worst of all is that there's no money from the sale of the school property because of the lease (as opposed to a sale), a sneaky workaround to the 2008 City Council ordinance that states that money made from the sale of surplus school properties are "limited to new school construction and the repair and renovation of active school buildings." Also, Jim Dunn, Bon Secours' vice president of advocacy and community affairs has stated Bon Secours can't make any promises on whether they'll save the Westhampton School building. My bet is there's a good chance they'll demolish it.

Bottom line, as a city tax payer with children in Richmond Public Schools, all of this is telling me the Washington Redskins are more important to our city government than the education of our children.

Even though the Westhampton School has sat empty since Richmond Community High School moved out in 2009, I wanted to put a bit of a face on the property that the City of Richmond seems to be handing to Bon Secours for demolition.

The photos below were taken a few years ago by Little Monkeys Photo Co.

Photos courtesy of Little Monkeys Photo Co.

Freeman High School's presidential picks - Late 50s/early 60s

Don't forget to vote today!

From the 1961 Freeman High School yearbook:

From the 1957 Freeman High School yearbook:

Freeman High School Quiz Bowl - 1968

With school back up and running, I've dug out some high school and college goodies. First up is the Freeman vs Tucker Quiz Bowl from the 1968 Freeman High School yearbook. Dig those crazy glasses!

Click the photo below for the high resolution image.

Regency Mall construction - 1975

Today's image of Regency Mall under construction comes from the 1975 Freeman High School yearbook.

The quote for this picture:
"Rugged landscape and a construction skeleton mark the erection of the largest shopping center on the east coast, Regency Square."

Freeman High School - 1957

I love this shot of two students in the hallway of Freeman High School. Taken from the 1957 Freeman High School yearbook.

Ridge Cinema Fourplex - 1983

Today, in one of my first "West End" posts, I give you a fantastic ad from 1983 for the fine Ridge Cinemas. It was built at 1510 E. Ridge Road in 1970 with two large screens. When it closed in 2002 it had expanded to seven screens. It was demolished in 2004. I saw many a great movie there. The site is now occupied by a Kroger. I love this ad--it looks like the bad clip art family is pushing the logo across the page. And look at the movies that were playing!