As the Athens Drive Homecoming Week of 2013 came to an end, so did one of Athens’ longest traditions. The annual process of covering every inch of the four hallways with decorations is no longer able to continue.
Due to complaints from a concerned observer, the Fire Marshall visited the spirit halls that were decorated by the students. The Fire Marshall immediately made the decision that spirit halls taking up every inch of surface in each hallway were not allowed to continue due to the violation of fire code laws. Each hall was ordered to be taken down by noon Friday, Nov. 1.
“We are going to try to get this worked out with the fire department so that we can keep up the tradition. If not, I’m sure we can find another way to express our creativity and school spirit,” said Kieran Garvey, junior and Student Body Vice President.
Instead of giving up, the student body will strive to work around the fire codes to keep the school safe. By following the regulations to the T, each class could still have the opportunity to decorate a designated area. It may be that each class can decorate one large poster, or the grades will combine their work into a giant banner.
Other high schools have separate and less-dramatic homecoming traditions for decoration, so the student council and advisors will look to surrounding Wake County schools to get ideas. For example, Green Hope High School spends one day before Spirit Week decorating one large and colorful banner per class.
“For the 25 years that I have been teaching at Athens, the students have always done some sort of spirit hall,” said Ken Davenport, student council advisor.
Although the recently-enforced rules may be seen as a minor setback, the members of student council are already looking for ways to keep spirit halls alive. As soon as word got around the school that the decorations had to be taken down, rumors sparked unhappiness throughout many student council members who have always spent months preparing to show off their hard work to the school during Homecoming Week.