HIGHLANDS The grass roots movement for a more up to date Highlands Junior School began about the year 2000, last Monday night Sampson Masonic Lodge, No. 231 ceremonially laid the Cornerstone on a state of the art building funded by a $220.5 Million dollar bond passed in 2005 inside Goose Creek Consolidated ISD.
Reverend Tim Edwards of First Baptist Church of Highlands gave the invocation for the dedication. Edwards was one of the strongest proponents of the new junior school to the 2004 Facilities Planning Committee.
The bond was passed by a large margin by Highlands and Baytown citizens. Later the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee and the Citizens Bond Technology Advisory Committee made recommendations specific to the design of the school and facilities. Gilbert Santana received a plaque on behalf of these committees that night from Barbara Sultis, in recognition for his and the committees efforts.
Ceremonies were held in a palatial 650 seat auditorium as Dr. Barbara Sultis, Superintendent of Goose Creek CISD welcomed attendants.
Carl Burg, President of the Board of Trustees introduced special guests. The actual dedication of the building was orated by Steve Herring, Principal of Highlands Junior School.
Grand Master in the State of Texas Thomas Griffin presided over ceremonies and addressed attendants with District Deputy Grand Master Kenneth Fielder performed the rituals of the Masonic Lodge that take their heritage as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. Attendants watched as libations of corn, wine and oil were applied and measures were made with square, level and plumb as dates back to ancient Egypt and are a link to ancient masons. The cornerstone represents morality as a hedge between the darkness and the light, symbolizing mankinds advance from ignorance to knowledge.
Refreshments followed the ceremony.