The original Eaton Elementary School is no longer in operation and has recently been torn down. The school that so many students grew up in, no longer holds a purpose in the community, since the community members passed a bond for new facilities in the district. Countless students have been through the Eaton schools, starting from the preschool or elementary school. As it is now getting torn down, there has been an offer to community members that they can take a brick from the site to keep as a memory of the school.

Karley Riggs (25) said, “I am sad about the teardown. It has been a part of the community my entire life, and it holds very fond memories of making friends and running around being a kid.” It is hard to see such a historical part of this small town be demolished. The building where children met the people they would grow up with, met their favorite teachers, and made their early school memories, is now only a pile of brick. As the school was getting destroyed, there were still drawings and pictures on the walls that went down with the building. 

The teachers at EES spent hour after hour in the school preparing to teach the students that came through. Kindergarten teacher Kris Richter had the opportunity to teach for 10 years in the EES building. She said, “As a teacher, my favorite memories will always be the first day of kindergarten. It’s an emotional day for the parents, but an exciting day as a teacher. I was able to welcome 10 new classes into that school knowing we would become a family.” Richter, along with many other teachers and students, plan to get a brick from the building because it is an important piece of Eaton’s history.

Eaton’s legacy has been a concept taught to students throughout each school. Each student is encouraged to leave their own legacy that reflects on the community well. For each student who began at EES, their legacy was beginning as well. It is safe to say that the legacy of Eaton Elementary School will always be remembered and looked upon greatly.