SR'S 92- WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN!

Daniel Webster High was not wheelchair accessible during this time. It was built in 1938 so it was not expected. That is until July 26, 1990 when the bill was passed for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In a nutshell, this bill gave persons with disabilities equal access to public accommodations and employment. So all public buildings had to be wheelchair accessible, accessible to the blind, and other disabilities. Being a teenager I was not aware that this bill existed, nor even passed. But I am thankful!! All buildings that did not meet ADA standards were given a deadline as to when the accessibility had to be done. Webster decided to take there time, and started work on an elevator in the spring of 1992. Because I did not know about the ADA I thought they built the elevator because of me. They wanted to give others with physical disabilities the same opportunities to go there as I had! What a crazy thought I had! As they began the construction process of putting in the elevator we could hear from class the drilling, hammering, and all that stuff that went on. At the end of April I was in my accounting class when our teacher (Coach H) who had an office at the front of the classroom, and in there he had a phone. When it would ring he would let one of the students get up and answer it. Students were always yelling out "I got it" as the phone would ring. One day the phone rang and I yelled out "I got it"! Coach just kept looking down and said “OK”. He then recognized the voice, and looked up laughing. A few days later as the workers were making all kinds of noise with the elevator one of my classmates asked the Coach “Why the elevator was not built before now so that Stephanie could use it?” Coach had told him “That I did not need it, that one day I told him that if he gave me an A that I would answer his phone. And I'll be damned if she didn't hurdled over those desks to answer that phone!" Everyone including myself was laughing. In the fall of that year the elevator was done, and there was a student going there who used a wheelchair! I was so happy. I went to school that October to see my friend Mike get crowned for the Homecoming King (Warrior Chief the 48th), and was able to ride that elevator to the reception. It made me a little vaklempt! I was glad that barriers were let down so that all different kinds of people could experience the great times at Daniel Webster High!

Photo from http://www.bestoftulsa.com/

Thanks for taking the time to read, Miss S