“Built to last.” That’s a phrase we often use to describe something built with the careful craftsmanship and solid materials of yesteryear – something that stands the test of time, like a solid old school building from decades ago.
Today we’ll learn about a group of volunteers who have taken such a building and repurposed it for their community’s modern use. Thanks to K-State’s Dr. Steve Smethers for this story idea.
Jack Donaldson is one of the founders of the community center in Kincaid. Jack grew up in the nearby community of Selma where he went to grade school. He went on to high school at Kincaid and married Ann who also attended Kincaid before the high school closed in 1967. At that time, it was converted to a junior high school which then closed in 2005.
Jack had a career in the trucking and construction industries. Then he and Ann opened a bed and breakfast in Moran. In 2016, they retired back to Kincaid.
After the school closed, the building had been purchased by a couple from Utah. They were unable to do anything with it and donated it back to the city.
The mayor approached Jack about the building, which remains city-owned. “It was built as a WPA project back in the ‘30s,” Jack said. “It was very sturdy, built to last.” For example, he said, “instead of 2 x 6 floor joists, it had full 2 x 16 floor joists.” Continue reading “Jack and Ann Donaldson, Kincaid Community Center”
