Board considers new school's name

March 11, 2007

By SHARON McBRIDE

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - The big topic of discussion at Wednesday's Mat-Su Borough School District school board meeting was what to name the new elementary school scheduled for construction off Hollywood Drive near Goose Bay Elementary.

&#8220I'm here to ask you to consider naming the school after Mahala Ashley Dickerson,” said Jeff Beck, during the public comment portion.

&#8220It would be good to remember her in this manner.”

Dickerson, who was well-known in the local area, was a pioneering African-American lawyer, who died at her homestead in Wasilla last month after suffering a stroke. In 1948, she was the first woman to become a lawyer in her home state of Alabama, and when she arrived in the Valley, she was the first African-American homesteader.

Several other people present at Wednesday's meeting also took the opportunity to ask the school board to name the new school after Dickerson.

&#8220She was very instrumental in children's lives,” said Kim Fitzgerald, another local resident who testified. &#8220She was a darling, vivacious, straightforward woman. She was a wonderful role model. It would be great to name the school after her.”

But after careful deliberation, the school board decided to proceed by

creating a committee to sift through all the possibilities for naming the school.

&#8220She (Dickerson) brought down a lot of barriers,” said Jim Colver, school board member. &#8220But I would like to

also consider naming

the school after Joe

Redington Sr.”

Other possible names discussed during the meeting included &#8220Knik” or &#8220Knik-Goose Bay Campus,” a name that would encompass both elementary schools at the

location.

&#8220It would be much wiser to put a committee together,” said Larry DeVilbiss, Mat-Su school board president. &#8220The advisory committee may find that the community has other ideas, and they could

come back with their

recommendations.”

School board members also noted that a committee would be a great idea, in light of the fact there's another new school in the works for South Palmer.

&#8220We are going to have to name other buildings in the near future,” said Sarah Welton, school board member. &#8220It's good to make sure we explore all the options.”

Contact Sharon G. McBride at 352-2250, or sharon.mcbride@

frontiersman.com.