HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. — Update: The Heber Springs School District said they will find a way to preserve the "senior sidewalks" after an outpour of support. According to district leaders, the construction company has come up with a solution.
Some former students in Heber Springs are upset after they learned that some of the high school's history is being taken away.
Safety improvements are planned for inside the building, but it's what's outside that holds a special place in a lot of their hearts.
Graduates from several decades have their names etched into the sidewalks in front of Heber Springs High School, but soon they won't be there anymore.
Some alumni explained how they're really upset about the decision.
"My dad started teaching here in 1981 and he had etched all these in by hand until probably about 2003, 2004," said Matt Wise, a 2007 Heber Springs graduate.
He explained that for him, the school district's decision to remove these slabs was personal.
"The school has a lot of history for me. And I actually remember when dad wrote some of these names in this concrete here," Wise added.
In June, construction is set to start.
The superintendent said they're adding a more secure entrance, but in order to do that, they have to raise the concrete in front of the school which will cover the sidewalks. He also said moving them to a different location isn't an option because they would be damaged in the process and recreating them comes at a $200,000 price tag.
"This is something that I never thought I would see. You know, I've always imagined bringing my future family to come and say, hey, look, this is where I graduated," said Chandra Davis, a 2009 graduate.
Davis said the tradition is important to her, not just because her name is on the sidewalk, but also because it honors those who aren't here anymore.
"I have a cousin who's no longer with us, his name is on that sidewalk. I have friends who are no longer with us. Their name is on that sidewalk and being able to, you know, say, look, here's their name. They were part of this," Davis described.
Aprille Davis, who is a 2002 graduate shared a different view and said she supports the renovation project even if it means no more sidewalks.
"The legacy is not the sidewalk, it's the education that we're giving the students and I want this town to get behind any kind of renovation, any kind of steps to support the school and keep it safer," Davis said.
The superintendent said the district has been actively working to find a new way to display graduate's names on campus. Then on Friday the school announced the sidewalks would moved into the school stadium to be put on display.