The bell tower at the Pre-K schoolhouses on the campus of Lower Elementary School was dedicated Tuesday morning to the memory of Cadman Porter, longtime educator in the Kosciusko School System.
The bell, which was used at the Porter farm near Sallis, was donated by members of the Porter family represented by his widow, two children, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren in attendance.
The invocation and blessing were given by Rev. Scott Wright of the First United Methodist Church. Lower Elementary Principal Michelle
Nowell gave the welcome followed by acknowledgements made by Katie Wallace representing the Kosciusko Foundation for Excellence in Education.
Barksdale Reading Institute, which contributed funds toward financing the seven schoolhouses, was represented by Jim Barksdale and Michael Cormack.
The kindergarten choir, directed by Pat Fiedler, sang “Amazing Grace.”
Closing remarks of the program were made by Supt. Gina Smith followed by the ringing of the bell by great-grandchildren of Mr. Porter.
They were Anne Parks McQueen, Nora McQueen, Lexie Grace Hamilton, James Michael Cain, Cadman McQueen and Abel Ray Cain.
The bell tower, in corresponding colors of the schoolhouses, is decorated with tiles made by students and lettering of character traits. A plaque on the tower is inscribed with the dates of Mr. Porter’s service, 1976-1991.
