Natchez resident James West said he would cut the grass at Thompson School if the Natchez-Adams School District would reopen his junior high alma mater. &uot;There’s nothing like pride in your school,&uot; he said. West, a graduate of North Natchez High School, attended middle school at Thompson in the mid 1970s. The North Union Street school is one of several Natchez schools the district is prohibited from using under a 1989 integration lawsuit.

The district would now like to make a change in that court order so it can reopen a fifth elementary school, Braden on Homochitto Street.

But some people in the community believe Braden may not be the best school to open.

Natchez-Adams Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis said about 10 people, including teachers, school administrators and political leaders, have told him it might be better to reopen Thompson instead.

&uot;Thompson has come up in about every circle of people I’ve met with lately,&uot; Davis said. &uot;The general feeling was that (Thompson) may be a more acceptable plan for the community.&uot;

Many people had a problem with Braden because they feared it would become a &uot;white&uot; school, he said.

Prior to the court order, Thompson was racially identified as a black school.

Because of the community interest, school district officials have asked PREPS, a group of consultants who drew up the plan, if it would be possible to reexamine the zoning lines.

&uot;I think we would be remiss in not at least pursing it if that would help us solve the problem,&uot; Davis said.

But the district does not have any formal plans to reopen the Thompson, and the school board has not discussed it. Davis is not sure the idea is feasible. Thompson is now used as the local site for Adams County’s Head Start Program. More than 500 children, ages newborn to preschool, attend the school. &uot;I think uprooting the kids over there may cause an even bigger problem,&uot; Davis said.

The district proposed a plan to reopen a fifth school so it can reduce the student population at its existing elementary schools. Officials believe students and teachers will perform better in a smaller school environment.

&uot;The real issue has to be the (5,100 to 5,200) students in the school system,&uot; Davis said.

There will be an informational forum 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the old Natchez Convention Center to get public input on the plan. Officials want to be prepared if the question of Thompson is raised at the forum, Davis said.

&uot;We are trying to look at all angles, (but) our major concern is to look at the large size school,&uot; he added.

West said he believes the 1989 court order made things harder for Natchez students. &uot;We shouldn’t have consolidated. It hasn’t worked for this district,&uot; West said. &uot;Having two high schools was good for Natchez. Having two middle schools was good for Natchez.&uot;

Because of the strong sense of morale and pride for Thompson School, West said he believes that school should never have been closed.