Preserving history is a natural goal of leadership, and the 2004
Class of Leadership Morgan Hill took that goal seriously in
choosing their class project: The renovation of Machado School.
By Marilyn Dubil
Staff Writer
Preserving history is a natural goal of leadership, and the 2004 Class of Leadership Morgan Hill took that goal seriously in choosing their class project: The renovation of Machado School.
Leadership Morgan Hill members will celebrate their efforts and raise money to offset the costs of renovation with a reception at the school on Saturdayt, Aug. 28, 3-7pm.
For $20, attendees can enjoy wine and cheese, hors d’oeuvres and soft drinks. There will be a silent auction of art and other items, and members of the Machado School Heritage Society and Leadership Morgan Hill will be on hand to provide tours of the facility. There will also be opportunities to ring the now repaired school bell. All funds will go to the Machado School Heritage Society.
The school, located 15130 Sycamore Ave., is the oldest in the Morgan Hill School District, founded in 1895. Classes were held in the original building until 1967, when a portable classroom building was put on the site so classes could continue.
The original building was used for storage until the Machado School Heritage Society was formed. The building was restored for use as a community center, and classes continued in the portable building.
This year’s Leadership Morgan Hill class saw the need to spruce up the original building; this summer, they repainted the interior and exterior doors and stairs, completed landscaping improvements and repaired the basketball court and built new benches.
They also created display cases for historic photographs and other historic items.
The Machado School Heritage Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Machado School. Leadership Morgan Hill is a training and development program created to inspire future leaders to community service.
Trustees in January 2003 close the school on a temporary basis after a water pump failed, and in the course of repairing the pump, district officials took a closer look at the modular classroom building and found it was not safe.
in June this year, trustees voted unanimously to approve the purchase and delivery of a modular classroom for $130,292.28 and the installation of “all related systems and utility infra-structure” by the Machado Heritage Society.
No date has been set for reopening of the school. Machado is not in district plans for the 20005 school year.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at md****@*************es.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 Ext. 202.
