`HOLE-Y COW!': SCHULTZ SCHOOL CAFETERIA ROOF PARTIALLY TOPPLES; AGE BLAMED

The roof over the cafeteria at L.J. Schultz Middle School has partially collapsed, forcing workmen to shore up the roof and rebuild part of the brick wall.

The roof at the northwest corner of the cafeteria did not cave in; it settled about seven inches, said Jim Dohogne, director of buildings and grounds for the school district. The settling caused the western wall of the structure to buckle and sway.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education will meet at 7:30 a.m. today at Schultz to discuss the problem. The board also has other agenda items.

"Basically, this is a result of the age of the building," said Superintendent Neyland Clark Monday afternoon. "There is more damage here than we originally antic~ipated."

Clark said a workman standing at the top of the wall was able to make the entire wall sway by shifting his weight.

Workers from Kiefner Construction had stopped work Monday afternoon because of the instability of the wall. Additional shoring was placed inside the cafeteria.

The district was in the process of putting a new roof on the section when the damage was discovered.

The wood trusses were rotted and the anchor bolts supporting the ceiling were sheered. Dohogne said mortar between the bricks was deteriorating because of age, compounding the problem.

"This part of the building is a victim of age," Dohogne said. "This is an old building and it had a lot of water damage.

"The further we get down, the more severe the damage we are finding."

Workers Monday were removing old bricks and mortar at the cafeteria.

The wall is being torn down to a point where it is structurally sound. Then it will be rebuilt.

Clark said, "We will build it back up with special reinforcements and make sure it's safe."

He added, "I also want them to go back and survey the rest of the building to see if there are other areas in similar condition. We want to make sure there is nothing dangerous in the building."

Dohogne estimated the repairs will take only about two weeks to finish.

"It very well could have been dangerous to students, if this had happened during school," Dohogne said.

Principal Carolyn Vandeven, surveying the work under way Monday, said, "This just points out why we need to look at our buildings and long-range planning. It also shows a need for replacing our aged buildings."

Vandeven had just checked the school's asbestos plan and discovered that no asbestos is located in the problem area.

This is not the first time brick work has been done at the school. In 1987, the entire south wall of Schultz was rebuilt after it began to bulge. The project cost about $45,000. The south wall was also a victim of age and water damage.

The building at 101 S. Pacific was constructed in 1914. Several annexes and additions have been built. In 1980, the school was rededicated as the seventh-grade attendance center.

The school cafeteria, where repairs are being made, is housed in what was originally built as a training shop for the Defense Department and vocational auto shop. Construction began in 1942 and the building cost about $7,500.

In addition to the roof and wall repairs, improvements are under way at the building this summer, making it accessible for the handicapped.

In addition to surveying the damage, the school board is expected to appoint a new treasurer. Current treasurer Elsie Seibert will retire, effective today. A new treasurer must be appointed in order for the district to issue checks.

In addition, two budget amendments will be presented to the board, said Business Manager Larry Dew. The amendments constitute an increase in expenditures of about $200,000 in the $19 million budget.