Oldham
County Arts Center Dedication
Community
gathers
to honor retiring school superintendent
Haselton
conceived of creating the educational center
By
Don Ward
Editor
CRESTWOOD, Ky. (June 2005) Retiring Oldham
County School Superintendent Blake Haselton says he usually comes dressed
for any occasion. But he showed up for the Oldham County Arts Center
dedication ceremony on May 21 without a tie and looking semi-casual.
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Photo
by Don Ward
Blake
Haselton poses beside a new
sculpture created in his honor.
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He was surprised to learn that the ceremony had been secretly
planned to honor him.
He was equally surprised to sit on the stage as the guest of honor with
Kentucky Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit and Lindy Casebier, a former
state senator who now serves as executive director of arts and humanities
in the state Commerce Cabinet.
I am not out-dressed at such events, but Ill blame this
on my conspirators who planned all this, he joked upon taking
the podium to help dedicate the arts center. The conspirators
included assistant school superintendent Harrie Buecker and arts center
board chairwoman Linda Theiss.
The 100 or so people attending the event were treated to a performance
by the Oldham County Singers and were then invited outside for the unveiling
of a new sculpture that was designed and created by Dave Caudill of
Louisville but assisted by 16 students representing all of Oldham County
schools.
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Photo
by Don Ward
Louisville
artist Dave Caudill
explains his sculpture design.
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Haselton was impressed not only with the creative designs
but the work done by the students The black granite sculpture titled
Testament was created to honor Haseltons service in
the school system. The various artistic styles were applied to the vertical
sculpture on tiles. More tiles are to be added later, Caudill said.
Haselton, 56, and his wife, Pam, have three sons, and son Andrew Haselton
will design a garden around the sculpture. He is finishing his bachelors
degree in agriculture at the University of Kentucky. Another son, Brad,
has graduated from UK in accounting, and their youngest son, Daniel,
will be a freshman this fall at Oldham County High School.
Haselton, meanwhile, will retire from the school system on June 30 after
spending the last 14 years as superintendent.
The arts center, located at 7105 Floydsburg Rd. in Crestwood, opened
last fall and now serves as the site of classes in performing and visual
arts, as well as the home of the Oldham County Adult Education classes
and offices. It is the former Crestwood Baptist Church, which moved
out on the Hwy. 329 Bypass, where it built a larger facility to accommodate
its growing membership.
Haselton was praised for his vision at the time to have the school system
take over the building and convert it into an arts center.
The school district bought the building for $1.6 million in 2001 and
is paying the debt with its $200,000 share of money paid annually by
Dynegy to Oldham County Fiscal Court in lieu of property taxes.
For more information on the arts center,
call (502) 241-6018.
Back to June 2005 Articles.