March 29, 2024

Mount Ayr Community Schools builds new, improved auditorium

The auditorium, located in Mount Ayr Middle/High School, was funded mostly through a $1.2 million donation.

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MOUNT AYR – Upon surveying the Mount Ayr Middle/High School auditorium nearly 50 years after graduating high school in Mount Ayr, Larry and Rita Hunter wanted to help with the school's hefty project of demolishing and rebuilding it to a higher quality.

Larry and Rita graduated from Mount Ayr in 1968 and 1969, respectively, and Larry was named to the school's hall of fame in 2014. Over the years, the Hunters have been anonymous contributors to several projects within Mount Ayr Community Schools (MACS).

Recently, the couple quietly donated approximately $1.2 million toward the new auditorium that cost, in total, more than $1.6 million.

"Nothing had been done to the auditorium since the school was built in 1980," said Shaun Kniep, Mount Ayr high school English teacher and speech and drama coach. "There had been no major upgrades – a little bit to the sound and lights but nothing as far as seats, carpet or anything. It was all original from the 1980 building. We wanted to upgrade, but the costs are astronomical."

But when the Hunters were touring the school, they asked about the auditorium and offered to help renovate it.

"We both graduated from Mount Ayr, and we both were involved in the arts when we were in high school," Larry said. "We just felt like it would be a good thing for the school and the community because the existing auditorium really wasn't adequate."

The remainder of the funds for the project came from a variety of sources, including a Dekko Foundation grant of $250,000, Ringgold County endowment grant of about $9,500 and miscellaneous donations totaling more than $5,700. In addition, MACS administration sold seats in the auditorium with the proceeds going toward the project, and the most recent amount recorded from those seat sales was about $13,700.

"People could buy a seat and their name will be placed on a plaque at the back of the auditorium," said Joe Drake, MACS superintendent.

Work began in January, and now, the auditorium is about two weeks from complete.

"We have new seating, sound and lights, paint, carpet, an extension onto our stage, staircase," Kniep said. "There's a new sprinkler system; all the doors are fire retardant. There's a new entrance to the auditorium, new concession stand and new storage. It's beautiful; it's everything I ever hoped it would be."

Kniep said one of the main perks of the new auditorium is the improved quality of sound.

"When the building was built in 1980, they put wooden planks along each wall, and that was basically all the sound buffers that they had for the 400-seat auditorium," she said. "Those wooden planks really lost their effectiveness a long time ago. So now, all the walls are covered with sound panels, and they have what they call clouds in the ceiling, and those help with the sound reflection. And, new speakers and things in the auditorium will really help with the sound quality."

The higher-quality sound and light system will improve plays, musicals and other happenings in the auditorium, Drake said.

"It's going to be a tremendous impact on performances, with the fact that the acoustics have been improved, visibility is better for spectators and for students – we've always had excellent performances but they'll be that much better because the audience will be able to hear and see well," Drake said. "And, the control room has been placed at the the top so it's like a second story, so the students will have a better opportunity to run the sounds and lighting and all that. It's a very good thing."

The Hunters also see the new auditorium as a way to celebrate the arts programs at the school.

"It is something that balances out the sports program with more of the arts and is more well-rounded for the students," Rita said. "They have wonderful sports facilities, but now they have a wonderful auditorium, sound system and comfortable seats. And, it is for the community, too; the community will benefit from it."

The overall appearance has changed, as well. Kniep described the former auditorium as having a late 1970s to 1980s style – using the colors orange, yellow and brown with orange carpet.

"Now, it's all done in black, gray and red – school colors," she said. "That will be timeless."

The last of the work will be hooking up the light and sound system and touch-up painting, Kniep said.

"It looks gorgeous right now. It's just small, finite details left to fix," she said. "Right now, you can't turn the house lights on because they don't have the rest of the lighting system hooked up yet, so we're just waiting on some things like that. We have temporary lights hanging so you can see when you're in there."

The dedication of the auditorium and first performance in it is scheduled for the Nov. 11-13 weekend.

"We're very excited. We're doing 'Shrek the Musical,' and for the dedication, Larry and Rita Hunter will be there," Kniep said. "It'll be a celebration of the fact that we have a new auditorium and just showcasing how nice it is."