FAIRMONT —
Raymond Alvarez can still remember what happened the day John Glenn first orbited the Earth.
Along with his classmates at what is now known as the Barnes Learning Center, he wasn’t paying the least bit of attention until his teacher called him to the front of the room and made him hold hands with a classmate while the clock ticked down to one second.
A silly memory from his childhood, he didn’t grasp the significance behind everyday events during that time. Years later, he realizes history was occurring right before his eyes.
“It was 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off, so as John Glenn made his historic flight, I had to stand in front of the room holding hands with Jackie in fifth grade,” he told students at Barnes on Sept. 20. “It was very embarrassing, but I’ll never forget and it was history.”
The same day Alvarez talked to the students, the school recognized and dedicated a new portrait of J. Walter Barnes, who was instrumental in advancing higher education in Marion County, that will hang inside the school.
It was something that intrigued Alvarez. A self-proclaimed storyteller, he was eager to share the story of Barnes’ prominence in Marion County.
“A lot of important things happen in Marion County in education, and your piece of it is a part of history,” Alvarez said.
Years later, the Barnes Learning Center is the site of an alternative learning atmosphere, working with students who are at risk of not succeeding in the traditional school structure. Evening and day programs are offered for students as well as an additional program called “School Based Mental Health.” This program offers on-sight mental health services to students and allows for group therapy sessions during the day.
Local News
Portrait of J. Walter Barnes now on display at Barnes Learning Center
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