To the editor:

Let's not tear down all our vacant building in Jasper.

One is badly needed for children to have a place to play in inclement weather. I agree that it may be necessary to raze Fifth Street School for a parking lot. It's just not a good idea to take them all down.

When I visited family in Morgantown, NC, they took me to see their newly vacated elementary school. They had turned the cafeteria into a play area for kids. Kids were everywhere jumping and climbing on the play gym they had installed. They were also running and playing games. I took my two grankids every day I was there. We had full use of the kitchen if we cleaned it up. Most brought sack lunches.

We could do this same thing here. Our soon to be vacated library comes to mind.

This wasn't a drop off. You had to stay with your kids but I believe in this so much I would be willing to donate some of my time there. This would be far better for our children than sitting in front of a screen. 

What better thing could we do for them? Best of all they received federal funding.

—Francine Arvin Schmitt
Jasper