My great-grandfather Crittenden, who was a Rapid City building contractor, was involved in building these 2 buildings. There are a few houses around town (a great one with columns on W Blvd) that he built. I had honors English and the yearbook/newspaper and library were in one or the other of these 2 buildings. Also the drivers ed simulators were back in there somewhere. Bad experience, I had been driving at least 2 years before taking drivers ed (for insurance purposes) so had a heck of a time with those "simulators," that didn't simulate anything like reality but sure caused a lot of errors in my "driving." For me, having to go to am classes once school re-opened and we went part days, was a real drag. First period geometry was a killer, pre-coffee days. Jeanne Johnson Harmon

If I recall correctly, it was on a Friday, and all were anxious for the weekend. I was in Mr. Schmidt's chemistry class (3rd floor Main?) getting accidently gassed with Bromine, when the fire alarms went off just after lunch break. Guys were having fun that Fall pulling fire alarms, so, with no real concern, we all trundled out to the south parking area behind Main. Some grabbed a quick drag on a cigarette. Over to the west above Washington a few wisps of black smoke rose over the roof. A bunch of us said "yikes this might be for real?" The smoke got darker and more intense. In the distance, you started hearing the shrill sirens from the old downtown fire station. In minutes, the dark black smoke turned more dense and intense. Fire trucks started arriving from all over Rapid, and in 20-30 minutes even Ellsworth AFB fire trucks arrived, lobbing foam over the wall and onto the old roof of Washington . I made my way over to the 7th street side of Washington and actually helped some firemen pick up and move a VW Beetle that was right in front of a critical fire hydrant. By then we all knew this was one for the history books of Rapid City Central High. Craig Willan

It was just past 12:30 P.M. on a Friday afternoon and Mr. Roman was passing out a test in our "Government" class in the Washington Building. When the fire alarm went off, we all thought that the "fire drill" would give us a slight reprieve from our anguish. As we gathered west of the building, wisps of smoke started to appear. Soon, the smoke started getting thicker and we could hear sirens in the distance. As firetrucks started up Seventh Street, on-lookers urged them on. It was now that we all realized this was the "real deal". As the firemen began pulling hoses from their trucks and hooking up to the closest hydrants, flames erupted from the roof and our school lives would be changed forever.
- Ken Wrede