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LANETT — The Lanett High auditorium had been in need of an upgrade for some time. Superintendent Jennifer Boyd and members of the Lanett City Board of Education made a commitment to do that in 2023. Work began on a major renovation this past spring and on Tuesday during the noon hour the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce played host to a ribbon cutting and unveiling of a like-new Verdis F. Bible Fine Arts Center.

The new look is spectacular. “We are so excited about this,” Superintendent Boyd told a large gathering present for the unveiling. “This is a great day for the City of Lanett and our school system. Www have all worked hard for this day to come about. It’s like a brand-new facility. There’s new flooring, new seats, much better lighting and sound; we have a handicap-accessible ramp to the stage and a midway aisle to help with crowds leaving the building. We are so proud of it. It’s something the students of Lanett have long deserved.”

Boyd said she’s especially pleased to say the much improved auditorium was done in just a few months without having to take on any new indebtedness. The architectural work was done by Walter McKee & Associates of Montgomery and the construction work by Freeman & Associates of Columbus. It was done at a cost of just over $700,000, a bargain price considers how much nicer the new fine arts center is.

“We see this as an ideal place to host all kinds of events,” Boyd said. “It’s brand new and can’t help but be a great benefit for our school system and our students.”

A major upgrade will come as great news to LHS alumni who attended Miss Lanala pageants, assembly programs, honors day events and baccalaureate services inside the building. These traditional programs will continue in a much improved venue.

The current Lanett High students didn’t get to see it till the afternoon. “I know they are going to be excited,” Boyd said at the noon hour program. “It will be super for those students who are into the arts, music and theater.”

No one was happier about the new look than Ann Bible, widow of the man the auditorium is named for. Mr. Bible was a long-time principal at Lanett High. He died in 2013 at age 85. Mrs. Bible is 93 and still lives at home in Opelika. Son Keith, daughter Krista and son-in-law Eddie Pigg live close by. “It is so wonderful to be here today for this,” Mrs. Bible said. “For many years now Lanett has had a special place in my heart. It will continue for as long as I will live. I want to thank everyone on having done a beautiful job in getting this done. I am so pleased this beautiful place honors the memory of my late husband. He was such a good man, and we all still miss him. Thank you for inviting us today. This means so much to all of us.”

Mrs. Bible taught biology at Lanett High from 1970 to 1985.

Boyd and current LHS Principal Nanette Culwell at Lanett High alumni. “I am grateful to our staff, the faculty and the students for getting us to this point,” Boyd said. “This is a great day not just for the school system but for the entire community. If you are not on board with the Lanett City School System you need to get on board now.”

That comment met with lots of applause from the crowd in the lobby just outside the auditorium entrance.

Clifford Story, who wears hats as the school’s athletic director, transportation and maintenance manager, headed up the day-to-day operations of this project for the school system. Coach Story, who won two state championships as the Lanett High head football coach, previously headed up the rebuilding of the LHS locker room and weight room after it was lost in a fire.

“It was a challenge for me to come off the football field and to head up projects like this,” he said somewhat jokingly. “Anyone who knows me knows that Lanett has a special place in my heart. All I can say is Go Panthers! Superintendent Boyd and the school board has done a wonderful job on this, and I appreciate it so much.”

When the renovation work began this past spring it was set to be completed by October. That was pushed back a few weeks due to a problem in getting the new seats delivered. “That set us back to November,” Boyd said. “We’re just happy it all came together the way it did. We had to drop down from 800 seats to 700 to get the handicap ramp in and to have a midway aisle to help with the exiting. It was worth all we went through just to make it to a day like today. The seats are so comfortable, the lighting and the sound system are first rate and we have a drop down screen and projector on the stage to watch video presentations.”

Mayor Jamie Heard missed the opening due to a work conflict, but the city was well represented by council members who were present. They included Tamalita Autry, Angelia Thomas, Ronnie Tucker, Tifton Dobbs and Tony Malone. Former Superintendent Phillip Johnson was also present and was well pleased with the way it all turned out.

Richard Carter, who won three state championships as the LHS basketball coach, opened the ribbon-cutting ceremony with prayer. “Lanett is a great place to live, work and worship,” he said. “Today is a great day given to us by a great God.”