Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Auditorium to be named for Cabes

The new Gurdon High School auditorium will be named for a local couple who have helped raise more than a half million dollars for the project.

On a recommendation from Superintendent Bobby Smithson, the Gurdon School Board voted unanimously to name the new facility the Charles and Anita Cabe Auditorium. The boards action came during its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Smithson said the Cabes support of the project dates back more than eight years when the couple first approached him concerning the possibility of building an auditorium at the new high school campus. At that time, the cost of constructing a basic auditorium was much lower.

By the time we got through adding everything we wanted, it ended up costing $3.5 million, he said.

Building the auditorium complex may not have been possible without the support of the Cabes, Smithson said. He was particularly gracious for the work of Anita Cabe.

Nobody else would have done what shes done, he said. Shes really been the push behind it.

Its kind of a no brainer to me, board member Anita Shaver said of Smithsons recommendation.

Others have made significant contributions to the project, Smithson said. The board plans to set aside space in the auditoriums main lobby to honor other donors.

Also during the meeting, the board reviewed bids received for the auditorium project and available funds for construction.

The district will have $3,109,958 on hand for the project. Because the bids to build the entire complex  an auditorium, an administration suite and a band and choral facility  are more than that amount, Smithson asked the board to make a decision as to which parts to construct.

Smithson recommended that the board construct the auditorium and the administrative suite. He said that the district has sufficient band and choral facilities. He also said that he feels the location of the auditorium complex will not be a good location for the band and choir rooms as it would cause a long walk for middle school students each day.

Should new space be needed for the band and choir, Smithson recommended that it be built in the future and closer to the middle of campus.

Smithson also thinks additional construction funds could be donated once the district begins the project.

I think that once the alumni see were going to do what were going to do, some money will come in, he said. Its for the community, its not just for us.

The board accepted Smithsons recommendation but was unable to award the bid to a contractor due to a technicality. Smithson said that the Arkansas Department of Education has not yet granted final approval of the project. The department has been waiting on a certification from the state fire marshals office and two modifications to the plans from the architect that will enhance handicap accessibility and safety. Once the state receives the final components, the approval is expected.

If the board was to award the bid before receiving state approval, the district would forfeit all state aid.

Smithson said he was hoping to have the approval in hand before Christmas. The board voted to give Smithson and board president David Williams permission to award the bid to the lowest bidding contractor, Wade Abernathy of Mt. Ida. The cost of construction for the auditorium and administrative suite will be $2,783,923.