4 minute read
FWCD Community Makes Their Mark
Fort Worth Country Day community members began formally saying their goodbyes to the Annie Richardson Bass Lower School building on October 20 at a special Make Your Mark event during Homecoming. With over 200 alumni, FWCD families, students, and former and current faculty members, the Lower School Atrium brimmed with nostalgia and camaraderie as the community came together to bid a heartfelt farewell to the building that has been entrusted with the School’s youngest Falcons since 1964.
History of the Building and Lower School
In a significant chapter of Fort Worth Country Day's history, the Lower School was home to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. In December 1970, the School officially adopted the name Annie Richardson Bass Lower School. Fast forward to December 1978 for the groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of construction for the Lower School Ryan Annex. Opened in October 1979, the building, christened the Helen McKee and Thomas M. Ryan Lower School Annex, added another dimension to FWCD’s educational landscape.
It wasn't until 1991 that kindergarten students found a dedicated home in the newly built kindergarten building, which was dedicated as the Butler Kindergarten Building in 1996 in honor of Head of School Geoffrey Butler H’98 (1987-96), who moved FWCD kindergarten from a half-day of school to full day in 1989. Four years later, fifth graders transitioned to the Paul W. Mason Middle School (October 1995), concluding their 32-year journey as an integral part of the Lower School.
This journey through time and development encapsulates the evolution of Fort Worth Country Day's Lower School, a testament to its commitment to providing quality education while honoring the legacy of those who played pivotal roles in its establishment.
Making Their Marks
The focal point of the October 20 evening was the atrium, where a bare wall stood waiting for the community to leave their love notes. Armed with markers and a healthy dose of sentiment, those in attendance took turns jotting down their messages, creating a mosaic of appreciation for the building and its memories. Many came to leave their mark, making the evening a true testament to the enduring spirit of the community and another cherished memory to tuck away.
Conversation buzzed in the Lower School Library, as groups of alumni and teachers, past and present, flipped through yearbooks, shared stories, and caught up. Among the FWCD familiar former faculty faces in attendance were Dan Bloch H’06, Chuck Hubbard, Ann Buis, Janie Garrett, Edwena Thompson, Diana Isbell, Claire-Lise Knecht H’06, Mary Kay Varley, Sharon Foster H’05, Eileen Kelly, Janice Richardson, Kay Robinson, Sharon Hamilton, Christine (Derber) Leuck, Debby Jennings, Joni Heizelmann, Joan Massey, Karen Davis and more.
As the evening drew to a close, the atrium wall became a patchwork of genuine memories. It stood as a concrete reminder that, while this Lower School chapter was closing, the connections formed within its walls would persist in the hearts of those who called it home.
